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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  145B0 

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CIHM/ICMH 

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Tschnical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notes  tachniques  at  bibiiographiquas 


The 
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empreinte. 


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TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
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derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
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symbols  V  signifle  "FIN". 


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Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
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de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessalre.  Les  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrent  la  mtthode. 


1  2  3 


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PRINT 


LETTER 


A 
a84M 


TO     TBI 


NOVA  SCOTIA 


^miml  fifttsit  S^si0cwti0i, 


BY    THE 
Rev.    JOHIN-    PRYOR,    r>.  O. 


r#v 


CAMBRIDGE: 

PRINTED    FOR    PRIVATE     CIRCULATION 

18  68. 


«« 


TO    THE    MEMBERS 


or    TH  K 


Saptisit  (if^entral  ^si^odatiQn  ^(  Sov»  f  rotia. 


Halifax,  May  8th,  1868. 


Dear  Brethren  : 


Having  been  absent  from  the  Provence,  I  liad  not,  till  within  a  few  days 
since,  the  opportunity  of  reading  certain  letters  published  in  the  Christian 
Messenger,  from  the  Granville  btreet  Church,  purporting  to  be  answers  to 
f'fl  Dr.  Crawley's  lettei-s  addressed  to  the  Baptists  of  Nova  Scotia.     I  have  now 

read  the  Church's  letters.  I  do  not  intend  to  characterize  them  ;  no  language 
of  which  I  am  master,  could  describe  my  disgust  at  their  contents,  and  my 
loathsome  abhorrence  of  their  shameless  audacity,  their  slanderous  mis- 
representations, and  deliberate  falsehoods. 

I  am  simply,  and  as  briefly  as  I  can,  about  to  make  a  few  remarks  upon 
these  misrepresentations  and  falsehoods. 

I  begin  with  remarking  upon  the  attempted  excuse  of  the  conduct  of 
some  of  the  cliurch  members,  m  excluding  me  from  the  puljnt  on  the  Sab- 
Bath  immediately  succeeding  the  first  diurch  meeting  held  on  the  subject. 
At  that  meeting  I  frankly  and  circumstantially  related  to  the  male  members, 
who  had  assembled  in  the  vestry,  being  called  there  with  my  full  concur- 
rence, if  not  at  my  own  request,  all  that  occurred  during  the  evening  re- 
te'-red  to.  I  told  them  my  reasons  for  my  visit  beir-  late,  and  I  requested 
the  church  to  look  into  tlie  case  as  fully  as  possible  j^'or  I  felt  assured  that 
a  candid  and  truthful  examination,  would  at  once  ;  lonstrate  how  utterly 
unfounded  these  reports  were.  I  fully  concurred  ii.  the  appointment  of  a 
Committee  of  investigation.  Had  my  advice  been  asked,  however,  I  cer- 
tainly should  not  have  selected  some  of  the  men  who  were  appointed  on  the 
Committee. 

I  felt  it  hard,  that,  at  the  very  time,  when  my  mind  was  harassed  by  these 
rumors,  a  charge  of  a  totally  different  nature  should  be  brought  against  me, 
and  inquired  into  ;  still  so  fully  conscious  was  I  of  a  perfect  freedoui  from 
any  thought  or  apt  of  wrong,  in  either  case,  that  I  readily  assented  to  the 
appointment  of  that  other  Committee,  with  reference  to  ray  conductance  of 
Miss  Vass's  affairs.  These  Committees  having  been  appointed,  I  urged 
again  the  fullest  investigation,  which  I  surely  would  not  have  done  had  I 
been  conscious  of  anything  improper  in  either  case.  1  then  solemnly  de- 
clared my  innocence,  and  the  business  which  had  called  us  together  being 
concluded,  I  returned  home  not  a  little  depressed  by  certain  assertions  of  an 
extraordinary  nature,  which  had  been  made  by  two  or  three  of  the  members 
with  reference  to  myself. 


6  73% 


Fmm  that  meeting  I  toent  direclhf  home.  Hear  what  flie  olinn-fi  sayw  on 
tlii»  jioint,  "  Thev  went  honu'  woepinfj.  liut  where  did  their  Pastor  po? 
To  this  iM)int  h't  Mrs.  Baxter  and  Dr.  I'ryor  speak.  Mrs.  Baxter  says,  "  therer 
was  a  j)er8on  let  into  Mrs.  McMillan's  hkhu  on  Friday  nifjht  (same  Friday 
nijfht),  eonld  not  say  wlio  it  was,  at  20  minutes  f  'st  12  o'el»K'k.  Tlie  door 
was  U)ektnl.  I  was  jKMM'ly  myself,  iiad  on  n  inustanl  ixMjlticc.  At  10 
minutes  \r,\nt  2  tlie  person  went  out."  1/  nn//  one  went  there  ni  that  time, 
I  was  not  that  person,  I  went  directly  houK!  from  tlie  mca^tin};,  iis  nearly  as  I 
can  recollect,  at  about  10  o'clock,  or  a  little  afh'r,  nor  did  1  leave  my  house 
till  after  breakfast  next  niominj;.  Of  this  my  whole  family  can  bear  testi- 
mony. How  easy  it  would  have  been  for  the  church  to  have  made  encpiiry 
Of  my  family.  Uiit  this  they  did  not  do.  Ay-  to  my  sayinj^  before  the  coun- 
cil, "  I  thou<;ht  it  nothin<r  remarkable  if  T  had  <ione  there,"  though  I  have  no 
recollection  of  sayinjj  this,  yet,  dear  friends,  if  you  had  been  present,  and 
had  heard  the  impertinence  of  thesis  two  younff  men  who  conducted  the 
pros(!cution  for  the  church,  Messi-s.  Eaton  and  Rjind.  to  one  so  lately  their 
rji.<tor,  you  would  not  be  surprised  if  I  son\etim<Js  answered  their  questions 
witli  irritation.  I  have  no  recollection  of  the  question  beinj:r  asked  me,  but 
f  am  certain  of  this,  my  answer  would  and  must  have  been,  as  I  now  posi- 
tively assert  I  never  left  my  house  from  the  time  I  came  straight  home  from  the 
meeting,  till  after  breakfast  next  morning,  and  the  im])utati(m,  that  1  went  to 
Mrs.  McMillan's  after  the  meeting,  is  an  entirely  nnfonnded  and  malignant 
calumny. 

Now  with  reference  to  their  treatment  of  me,  in  excluding  me  from  my 
j)ulpit.  While  at  breakfast  the  next  (Saturday)  nK)rning  I  received  a  note 
from  Mr.  Selden  in  these  wonls,  "  My  Dear  Sir.  After  you  left  the  room 
last  evening  the  brethren  came  to  the  conclusion,  that  in  the  present  state  of 
iitt'aii"s,  it  would  not  be  right  to  tax  you  to  fill  the  pulpit  to-morrow.  With 
your  concurrence,  therefore,  we  propose  to  get  Mr.  Welton.  Have  the  good- 
ness to  replij  bg  bearer.  Yours  very  trul}',  S.  Selden."  As  an  immediate 
answer  was  requirefl  I  wrote  in  reply,  "  whatever  the  brethren  decided  upon 
I,  of  course,  consent  to.  It  seems,  however,  not  exactly  in  accordance  with 
usual  custom.  Will  it  not  look  as  if  my  brethren  thought  me  guilty  V  "  Now 
what  was  the  iiuriKirt  of  that  hastily  written  note  V  Was  it  not  to  beg  o4' 
them  not  to  be  hasty,  that  such  action  was  unusual,  that  a  false  impression 
would  be  made  V  Would  not  generous  friends,  siich  as  I  then  supposed  them 
to  be,  have  delayed,  till  I  called  up,  or,  themselves  have  come  down  at  once 
to  see  n»e  at  my  house  ?  I  said,  indeed,  "  wh.atever  the  brethren  decided 
ujton  I,  of  course,  consent  to."  If  it  w.is  their  decision,  how  could  I  refuse,  I 
had  no  ]>ower  to  do  so.  From  what  follows,  in  the  note,  is  not  my  meaning 
evident,  though  1  couched  it  in  modest  language,  I  am  consenting  because 
the  brethren  have  decided  upon  it,  tln-ough  <;ompulsion  and  not  concurring  ? 
I  I'n'clare  I  was  surprised  and  shocked  at  the  contents  of  Mr.  Selden's 
note ;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  fulfilled  an  engagement  which  I  had  pre- 
vivtusly  made  for  Saturdiiy  morning,  I  went  in)mediately  to  Mr.  Selden's 
ofhcc.  When  I  saw  him,  I  most  urgently  remonstrattnl  against  my  exclu- 
sion frimi  the  pul])it,  and  stated  the  distressing  consequences  that  must 
follow  from  the  conviction,  which  would  thus  go  abrofid,  tliat  my  church  be- 
lieved me  a  guilty  man.  I  st.-ited  the  cases  of  ministers  with  whom  I  was 
acquainted,  whose  people,  instead  of  acting  as  my  brethren  intended  to  sict, 
had  ui)held  them,  under  similar  accusations,  and  who  eventually  had  been 
vindicated.  I  assured  them  this  would  be  the  case  with  me.  All  that  was 
needed  was  calm  investigation.  To  Mr.  Selden's  assertion  that  it  was 
feared,  if  I  occupied  the  pulpit  some  of  the  congregation  would  get  up  and 
go  out,  I  replied,  that  as  t  was  conscious  of  perfect  innocence  in  the  ease,  it 
would  not  affe<'t  me,  if  persons  did  leave  the  meeting,  although  1  thought 


'ijit 


J 


h 


on 


there  would  be  no  danger  of  the  occurrence  of  such  a  thinfj,  if  proper  ])ains 
were  taken,  and  the  deacons  did  their  (hity.  Messrs.  Ackhurst,  Kand  and 
J.  Johnston,  Jr.,  were  present.  Mr.  tliind  (I  think  it  was  he)  siipfjestefl  my 
t'oinj'  into  tlie  pulpit  with  Mr.  Welton,  and  sayin<j  to  tiie  con<;re<jntion  that 
I  declined  preachinjr  until  the  rumors  were  investifjatod.  "  No,  no,"  exclaimed 
Messrs.  Selden  and  A<-khunnt,  "  that  will  not  do."  Findin}^,  as  I  feared,  that 
it  was  a  forej^one  conclusion  and  fixed  determination  of  the  lirethren,  that  I 
should  not  preach  on  the  next  Sahliath,  af*er  vainly  urfjinfj  my  wishes  and 
views,  my  feelinjis  oveniame  me,  and  exclaimiii};  afjainst  the  desertion  of 
•those  who  shoiihl  have  siipjiorted  me,  1  burst  info  tears,  and  rushed  out  of 
the  olHce.  The  assertion  that  I  was  consulted,  or  that  I  consented,  is  a 
bitter  mockery. 

The  worst  evils  I  anticipated  did  follow  from  my  exclusion  from  the  pul- 
pit on  that  Sunday.  It  sjtread  over  the  city,  that  my  church  had  turned  me 
out  of  my  pulpit,  because  they  believed  me  guilty,  and  every  rumor  to  my 

Krejudice,  however  false,  or  exa<r}ierated,  received  fresh  strength  and  belief. 
ly  friends  wore  exa>)perated  at  this  harsh  and  unjust  conduct  of  the  church. 
My  son-in-law,  Mr.  Demi  lie,  in  particular,  resented  the  wrong  very  openly 
ami  strongly ;  and  Mr.  Sehlen  and  other  members  of  the  church  were  also 
excited  by  these  acts  of  my  friends,  ami  out  of  this  grew  the  hostility  of 
which  I  was  made  to  bear  the  consequences,  and  to  which  Mr.  Selden 
alluded,  when  he  said,  Mr.  Demille  wius  my  worst  enemy  ;  and  this  too  was 
the  ground  of  that  most  unwarrantable  attack  upon  me,  by  Mr.  Selden  the 
Chairman,  which  is  referred  to  in  Jud";e  Johnson's  pamphlet. 

I  firmly  believe,  that  had  not  this  false  step  been  taken  by  the  members  of 
the  church,  .and  had  they  faithfully  and  tryly,  and,  without  irritation,  entered 
upon  the  inquiry,  the  groundlessness  of  the  charges  against  me,  would  have 
been  discovered,  and  Granville  Street  Church  would  have  treated  their  Pastor, 
as  the  members  of  my  former  church  in  Cambridge  have  since  treated  me, 
with  increased  love  and  affection.  But  in  conse(iuence  of  the  bitter  and  ac- 
rimonious spirit  hence  excited,  arose  the  "  prejudice,  the  passion,  the 
wounded  pride,  the  ill-will  "  which  fWjm  that  time  was  m.anifested,  and  still 
continues  to  be  manifested  by  some  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
church :  and  who,  by  every  means  in  their  power,  have  sought,  and, 
alas,  too  successfully,  to  influence  other  membei-s ;  and  thus,  have  met- 
amorphosed the  body,  from  the  position  of  investigators  of  reports,  and 
inquirers  into  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  rumors,  into  the  attitude  which  they 
have  ever  since  maiT\tained,  of  heated  partizans,  detemiined  at  all  hazards, 
and  however  falsely,  and  wrongly,  to  bring  me  in  guilty.  Their  acrimoni- 
ous hostility,  their  bitter  spirit,  their  utter  disregard  of  the  principles  of 
honor,  justice,  truth  and  Christian  charity,  have  been  so  clearly  proved  in 
Judge  Johnson's  letter  to  the  church,  and  in  Mr.  Paysant's  pamphlet  ad- 
dressed to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Saunders,  that  I  need  not  further  dwell  upon  it. 

I  must  here,  in  passing,  correct  another  intentional  misrepresentation 
made  in  the  church's  1st  letter,  and  repeated  in  the  2d,  viz  :  —  that  Mrs. 
McM.,  could  scarcely  be  considered  a  member  of  my  congregation,  and  that 
consequently  I  did  not  hold  the  position  of  Pastor  to  her,  and  that  my  visits 
therefore  were  not  pastoral.  The  base  object  of  this  false  statement  is  plain. 
Now  what  are  the  facts  in  the  case  ?  Briefly  these.  Some  time  afler  com- 
ing to  reside  in  Halifax,  and  afler  I  had  been  the  Pastor  of  Granville  Street 
Church  for  nearly  a  year,  I  was  requested  by  a  member  of  my  congregation 
to  call  upon  Mrs.  McMillan,  a  sick  person,  who,  .as  I  was  informed,  was  a 
Baptist,  and  would  be  glad  to  be  visited  by  me.  Of  course  I  called  to  see 
her.  /  had  never  seen  or  heard  of  her  till  then.  She  seemed  quite  ill ;  a 
consultation  of  physicians,  I  understood,  had  been  held  on  her  case.  I  con- 
versed and  prayed  with  her  and  called  twice   .afterwards;   at  my  third 


visit,  i*lio  i«<>(>ni(Ml  HO  fur  ivrovcrfid,  tliiit  I  did  not  call  njjain  upon  her,  and 
iiiurkfd  litT  out  of  my  sick  lixt,  the  list  for  fru(|ut*nt  viHitM.  From  that 
time  I  noticed  her,  un  one  of  the  n'jriihir  attendants  of  my  ministry ;  hut 
thrive  month)*  not  having  elapsed,  my  usual  interval  of  visits  to  my  eon- 
{^re^ration,  I  did  not  even  know  wh»Te  she  then  resid»'d,  for  at  my  last  "visit 
to  her,  I  unilerstoud,  she  was  altout  removin;r.  Some  time  atler  that,  I  met 
her  in  the  street,  and  she  informed  me,  slie  was  hoarding;  at  a  house  in  Uar- 
rin^ton  Street.  I  lisked  my  wife  to  eall  and  see  iier,  which  she  did.  Mrs. 
McM.,  and  family  remained  at  that  house  two  or  three  months.  I  never 
called  upon  her,  while  she  was  there,  as  I  knew  my  dear  wife  would  look 
after  her;  but  I  saw  her  regularly  in  church  on  the  Saliltath. 

Afler  some  time  1  missed  her  from  church,  and  on  makin;r  incpiiries  of  her 
husband,  I  learned  that  they  had  removed  to  (iranville  Street,  and  that  his 
wife  was  (piite  sick,  and  confined  to  her  bed.  Mrs.  I'ryt)r  and  I  then  visited 
her,  sometimes  toj;ether,  sometimes  sejiarately.  While  visiting  her,  one  day, 
she  seemed  more  than  usually  ill,  I  thoujrht  danf^erously  so,  and- 1  felt  con- 
strained to  in(]uire  more  minutely  into  her  religious  state,  and  her  previous 
life,  and  she  informed  me,  with  all  frankness,  that  she  had  been  a  member  of 
a  church  in  Boston ;  but  that  she  felt  aggrieved  at  the  way  in  which  she  had 
been  treated,  her  mind  had  become  soured,  and  her  religious  feelings  great- 
ly depressed,  and  sometimes  she  felt  as  if  she  had  no  religion,  lioth  Mrs. 
I'ryor  and  myself  became  deeply  interested  in  her,  and  we  frc(|uently  called 
to  see  her,  prayed  with  her,  lent  lier  suitable  religious  books,  &c.  She  was 
very  grateful  for  the  interest  we  manifested  in  her  spiritual  welfare,  iis  well 
as  for  other  kindnesses  and  attention  showed  to  her  by  my  dear  wife.  Her 
life  was  spared,  and  her  health  somewhat  improved,  though  she  continued 
quite  an  invalid.  But  as  soon  as  she  was  able,  she  attended  public  worship 
regularly.  She  was  frequently  present  at  the  Wednesday  evening  prayer 
and  conference  meetings,  and  always  on  the  Sabbath,  when  her  health  and 
circumstances  permitted  her  to  leave  her  home  duties.  From  Granville 
Street  she  removed  to  Mrs.  Maxner's  boarding  house,  where  as  she  was  still 
quite  ill,  I  went  to  see  her,  as  did  also  Mrs.  Pryor,  who  sent  her  by  the  ser- 
vant, and  sometimes  hei-self  carried  to  her,  religious  books,  and  many  little 
comforts  suitable  to  so  sick  a  person  ;  facts  of  which  Mrs.  Maxner  most  un- 
accountably professed  ignorance.  Mrs.  Maxner,  as  I  understood  from  both 
Mr.  and  Mi's.  ISIcMillan,  having  previously  to  their  coming  engaged  the 
room  occupied  by  them,  to  pei-sons  from  the  country;  upon  the  arrival  of 
these  persons,  they  gave  up  their  room,  which  I  have  reason  to  believe  they 
would  have  done  in  any  case,  though  Mi's.  Maxner  wished  them  still  to  re- 
main and  ottered  them  another  room,  an  otter,  however,  which  they  declined 
to  accept.  There  were  other  reasons  also  which  induced  them  to  decline 
the  otter  to  remain.  They  did  not  like  the  looks  of  things  in  the  house. 
Some  things  about  Mrs.  Maxner  and  her  daughter  did  not  appear  to  them 
very  respectable,  and  they  had  heard  rejiorts  that  were  unfavorable.  As 
Mrs.  McM.,  expressed  these  things  unhesitatingly  to  me,  1  can  easily  imagine 
her  speaking  of  the  same  things  to  some  of  the  other  boarders  there,  and 
who  might  state  what  was  heard  to  Mrs.  INIaxner,  and  hence  a  resison  for  the 
strong  feeling  shown  by  her,  against  Mrs.  McM.,  and  her  great  readiness  to 
testify  before  the  secret  committee,  and  the  false  statements  made  by  her  in 
reference  to  an  interview  and  conversation  with  a  respectable  medical  gen- 
tleman of  this  city,  who  holds  a  very  important  and  responsible  office  here, 
by  appointment  of  the  government,  which  statement  this  gentlemen  charac- 
terizes in  a  note  which  1  hold  as  "  an  impudent  lie."  .  Hence,  too,  her  false 
statement  that  Mrs.  Pryor  had  never  been  herself,  at  her  house,  nor  had  she 
ever  sent  her  servant,  assertions  which  Mrs.  Pryor  positively  declares  to  be 
untrue.     This  Mrs.  Maxner,  whose  misstatements  are  thus  proved  by  Dr. 


V.i 

t)f 
pr 
sh< 
th« 
M. 
do 
dn 


wf 
int 

tei 

c 

bm 


Gofwip  aiitl  Mrw.  Piyor,  hm  well  h»  l)y  inywt'H'  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  MoM.,  i»  o\w 
of  tliv  women,  u|M)n  whom,  tin*  tnanai^en*  of  IIiIm  pru8«>fiition,  liavu  ri'liod  to 
|)rt)ve  that  "  blindH  weiv  drawn  and  tluoi'M  Im-ki-d,"  upon  licr  a^Hertion  tliat 
(the,  in  her  rooni  in  the  lower  (tt«»ry,  heard  the  HountI  of  the  key  turned  in 
the  (loom  in  the  veeond  story.  Roouih  were  tlwn  taken  by  them  in  Mrn. 
Morton's  house,  which  they  were  ohlijred  to  leave,  Iteeause  tlie  eeiiin^  fell 
down.  It  was  while  they  rewided  here  that  Mr.  Punly  says  the  ehan^e  of 
dre^s  t(M)k  ]ilaee,  whieh  le<l  him  to  doubt  Mrs.  McMillan's  character.  And 
yet  on  the  very  evenini;  on  which,  as  he  says  the  (M-eurrence  ttM)k  [)lace,  and 
atler  ho  had  observed  it,  he  sttent  more  than  an  hour  with  the  youn^j  wonum 
who  was  then  his  atlianced  wife,  and  whom  he  afterwards  married,  in  social 
intercourse  with  Mi*s.  McM.,  in  her  room.  They  then  removed  to  Mrs.  Pat- 
terson's where  th«'y  renuiiued  for  about  a  year  and  a  half,  and  only  letl,  be- 
cause Mr.  McM.,  haviuj;  decided  to  f.'o  to  the  States  for  a  tinu)  to  learn  his 
business  more  thorou^liFv,  it  wiis  necessary  to  take  cheaper  lod}.i;in<pi. 

And  here  I  must  remark  upon  the  unfair  conduct  of  the  managers  of  the 
jn'osecutiou.  They  j^o  round  to  all  the  places  where  Mrs.  McM.,  had  re- 
mained but  for  a  week  or  two,  and  where  as  she  did  not  permit  any  intima- 
cy between  herself  and  the  inmates  of  these  houses,  these  peixons  spoke  of 
her  with  indignation,  because,  as  they  said,  she  held  herself  above  them, 
and  hence  were  ready  to  gratify  the  spyinj;  coumiittee,  by  saying  anything 
they  could  think  of  to  her  detriment.  lUit  they  pass  by  a  respectable  family, 
Mr.  and  Mi-s.  Patterson,  at  whose  house  she  i*esided  for  more  than  sixteen 
months,  and  with  whom  she  was  intimate,  and  who  must  have  known  every- 
thing about  her  character.  Some  of  the  committee,  indeed,  visited  Mrs.  P.,  but 
not  a  word  is  said  of  them  in  the  recorded  examination,  though  they  pro- 
fessed a  readiness  to  testify  to  Mra.  McM.'s  undeviatingly  correct  deportment 
during  the  whole  of  the  time  she  resided  in  their  house,  and  who  subsequent- 
ly received  her  to  their  home,  as  friends,  when  she  was  obliged  to  come  to 
Halifax,  to  give  her  testimony  before  the  Council.  Mrs.  Patterson  did  give 
testimony  before  the  Council,  to  Mrs.  McM.'s  good  character,  but  she  was 
brought  there,  not  by  the  managei-s  of  the  prosecuticm,  but  by  my  friends. 
Surely  the  testimony  of  so  respectable  a  i)er8on,  and  who  knew  Mrs.  McM., 
so  long,  and  at  whose  house  she  had  resided  nearly  half  the  time  she  was  in 
Halifax,  was  of  infinitely  more  viiliie  than  that  of  the  Mistress  Baxter  and 
Maxner,  &c.,  who  at  the  most,  had  known  her  for  a  few  weeks  only.  But 
this  is  only  one  of  the  continued  acts  of  unfiiirness  on  the  part  of  the  man- 
agei-s  for  the  church. 

Having  decided  that  it  was  necessary  to  take  clii  nper  lodgings,  as  Mr. 
McM.,  would  not  during  his  absence  be  iible  to  earn  anything,  after  a  long 
search  the  only  rooms  that  they  could  fintl  vacant,  were  in  Barrack  Street. 
They  removed  thither  and  Mr.  McM.,  then  lefl  for  the  States,  begging  me  to 
add  to  his  obligations  to  me,  by  looking  after  his  family  during  his  absence, 
and  committing  them  to  my  especial  care.  Believing  this  was  not  the  prop- 
er place  for  her,  now  that  she  was  without  her  husband's  protection,  she 
sought  rooms  elsewhere,  but  being  unsuccessful  in  her  search,  begged  me,  if 
I  would  kindly  do  so,  to  interest  myself  in  procuring  a  room  for  her.  An 
excellent  brother  minister  of  Halifax,  to  whom  I  read  this  letter,  suggested, 
that  it  would  be  well  here  to  mention  to  friends  in  the  country,  who  are  not 
well  ac«]uainted  with  certain  duties  that  must  be  discharged  by  a  city  pastor, 
that  one  of  the  duties,  and  a  very  frequent  one  is,  to  seek  suitable  lodgings 
and  boarding  places  for  our  people.  They  may  find  suitable  places,  when 
they  are  able  to  pay  a  good  rent  for  them ;  but  when,  thi-ough  want  of  work 
or  other  circumstances,  they  must  take  cheaper  rooms,  it  is  a  matter  of  great 
difficulty  to  procure  them.  He  said  to  me,  (it  is  the  case  with  many  of  the 
city  pastors)  that  he  had  at  least  monthly,  he  might  almost  say  weekly  ap- 


8 


plications  on  this  matter,  from  members  of  his  congregation,  especially 
widows  and  those  whose  husbands  are  absent.  Having  been  thus  requested 
by  Mrs.  McM.,  to  procure  if  possible  a  more  suitable  place  for  her,  and  hav- 
ing noticed  a  room  to  let  in  Morris  Street,  I  informed  her  of  it,  and  she 
having  seen  and  approved  of  the  place,  the  room  was  taken,  and  at  a  trifling 
expense,  made  more  comfortable. 

Now  I  would  like  the  readers  of  this  letter  to  notice  the  situation  of  these 
rooms.     They  are  directly  on  the  sidewalk  of  one  of  the  most  frequented 
streets  in  the  city,  near  the  corner  of  Morris  and  HoUis  Streets.     My  cousin 
Mr.  Ja;  les  Pryor's  house  is  directly  opposite,  and  my  cousin  Mrs.  M.,  could 
not  go  to  the  window  of  her  parlor  or  bedroom,  a  window  at  which  she  is 
accustomed  constantly  to  sit,  without  of  necessity,  looking  into  Mrs.  McM.'s 
room,  and  observing  everybody  that  went  in  or  out  of  ner  door.     No  one 
could  go  to  the  door  of  my  own  house  and  look  up  the  s*""et,  without  also 
seeing  every  person  that  went  in  there :  my  own  resident,    jeing  only  a  few 
doors  distant,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street.     No..  I  ask  any  one  of 
common  sense  to  sav,  if  there  had  been  the  thought  even  .  ^  evil  in  me,  with 
reference  to  Mrs.  IVlcM.,  would  I  have  advised  lier  to  renove  from  a  house 
in  Barrack  Street,  opposite  to  which  there  was  no  house  but  only  field,  a 
house  which  I  could  at  any  time  enter  unobserved,  to  a  house  situated  as  the 
one  in  Morris  Street  is  ?     You  may  judge  from  thi';,  whetlier  the  thought  of 
ivil  and  privacy  had  entered  into  the  mind  of  either  inyself  or  Mrs.  McMillan. 
While    the    family  resided   still   in   Morris   Street,   ^!r.    McMillan    re- 
turned from  the  States,  and  as  '^e  was  now  home,  m^  cliarge  and  anxiety 
were   relieved:  and,  as   it  was      ecessary  for  them   to  vacate   the   rooms 
in    Morris    T^eet,   and    no    sui  'ble  place   offering  itself,   they  removed 
temporarily  to  Albermarle  Streev      Mr.  McM.,  not  finding  employment  in 
Hahfax,  decided  to  go  to  St.  John,       hopes  of  getting  work  there,  and  as 
he  expected  his  famdy  to  be  separal   ^  Jrom  him  only  for  a  short  time,  he 
again  lefl  them  to  the  charge  of  thei    " 
scarcely  a  suitable  street  for  Mrs.  Mel 
she  sought  rooms  elsewhere,  but  being 
find  a  place  for  her,  and  as  I  saw  roc 
aniined  them,  liked  them,  and  they  wii 
one  of  the  most  frequented  streets  of  \. 
a  sick  pei-son  whom  I  had  visited,  and  <    ..    .vas  a  kind  of  protigee  of  my 
brothei'-in-law  Mr.  Brown,  wlio  made  it  a  i)oint  of  going  there  at  least  once 
a  week ;  and  the  dauglitei-s  of  which  sick  person  were  dressmakers,  and  fre- 
quently emplov'ed  by  my  wife  and  her  sister.     This  does  not  look  like  privacy 
or  guilty  inteuiion.     I  do  not  think  there  are  two  places  in  all  the  city  more 
public,  more  on  tl'c  public  street,  than  these  two  places,  which  were  the  only 
ones  occupied  by  Mrs.  AIcM.,  at  my  reconuncndatitjn.     I  leave  you,  dear 
friends,  to  judge  whether  a  man  who  had  an  evil  purpose,  would  have  acted 
tluis. 

During  Mi's.  McM.'s  residence  in  these  different  places,  she  was  frequently 
very  ill,  and  of  coui-sc,  as  her  Pastor,  I  continued  to  visit  her :  and  as  she 
was  supporting  hei-self  by  her  sewing,  1  sought  to  get  her  employment,  and 
some  of  my  relatives  were  accustomed  to  give  her  work,  and  to  go  frequent- 
ly to  her  house ;  and  thi>ugli  they  sometimes  made  remarks  to  me,  about  her 
evident  poverty,  and  anxiety  for  work,  I  never  heanl  one  of  them,  say  or 
hint  of  anything  like  Improi)riety  in  lier.  My  daughter  was  at  her  house 
likewise,  and  my  wife  frequently  went  to  see  her,  and  often  sis  we  returned 
from  evening  visits,  and  of  necessity  passed  her  room,  Mrs.  Pryor  would 
make  the  remark,  as  we  lieard  the  wheel  of  her  sewing  machine,  there  is 
that  poor,  industrious  young  woman  still  hard  at  work.  After  too  when 
Mrs.  P.  was  busy  Avith  work  connected  with  the  poor  of  the  church,  if  I 


Pastor.     As  Albermarle  Street,  was 

,  to  reside  in  without  her  husband, 

nsuccessful,  she  again  begged  me  to 

5  to  let  in  Pleasant  Street,  she  ex- 

l-.Ired.     These  rooms  were  also  on 

llfax.     In  the  same  house,  resided 


net 
Ml 

sta 
tha 
I 


specially 
equested 
and  liav- 
and  she 
a  trifling 

of  these 
oquented 
[y  cousin  . 
M..,  could 
ch  she  is 
i.  McM.'s 

No  one 
hout  also 
nly  a  few 
ny  one  of 

me,  with 
I  a  house 
y  field,  a 
ted  as  the 
bought  of 
McMillan, 
lillan  re- 
el anxiety 
he   rooms 

removed 
)yment  in 
re,  and  as 
•t  time,  he 
treet,  was 

husband, 
;cd  me  to 

t,  she  ex- 
[e  also  on 
;e,  resided 
lee  of  my 
least  oncv 
and  fre- 

e  privacy 

|city  more 

the  only 

|you,  dear 

,ve  acted 

Irequently 
Id  as  she 
kient,  and 
Ifrequent- 
libout  her 
11,  say  or 
ler  house 
1  returned 
[or  would 
\,  there  is 
too  when 
irch,  if  1 


needed  clothes  (|uickly  mended,  &c.,  she  would  ask  me  to  run  u])  and  get 
Mrs.  McMillan  to  do  them.  Yet  this  is  the  woman,  and  under  the  circum- 
stances which  I  have  mentioned  to  you,  and  which  an^  well  known  to  them, 
that  these  conspirators  against  my  good  name,  would  have  the  public  believe 
I  was  visiting  with  improper  motives  ! 

In  all  my  congregation  I  had  no  one  more  grateful  for  my  religious  minis- 
tration,  and  when  at  times  I  expressed  my  discouragement,  and  fear  that  she 
was  not  making  the  religious  progress  I  hoped  for,  with  tears  she  acknowl- 
edged tlie  too  great  apathy  she  was  conscious  of,  and  her  want  of  spirituali- 
ty, but  said  that  she  did  feel  deeply  interested  in  religion,  and  though  she 
mourned  over  the  coldness  of  her  heart,  yet  that  she  earnestly  prayed  ibr  her 
salvation,  that  she  read  her  Bible,  and  hoped  she  was  profited  by  it,  that  she 
had  given  up  reading  fictitious  works,  m  which,  she  had  formerly  taken 
much  pleasure,  and  begged  I  would  continue  to  interest  myself  in  her  spiritual 
welfare ;  that  she  did  hope  that  a  gradual  change  for  the  better  was  being 
wrought  in  her,  that  she  knew  she  strove  more  earnestly  to  curb  a  naturall^v 
violent  temper,  that  she  was  more  interested  in  religious,  than  in  worldly 
matters,  and  that  whatever  good  was  in  her,  sue  owed  to  the  persevering 
efforts  of  Mrs.  Pryor  and  myself  for  her  welfare. 

Now,  dear  brethren,  I  believe  that  a  Pastor's  zeal  is  not  to  be  all  expend- 
ed in  laboring  only  for  the  conversion  of  his  people,  though  that  is  his  great 
object,  but  that  it  is  his  duty  also  to  superintend  their  total  character ;  that 
his  aim  and  endeavor  should  be  to  enlighten  and  strengthen  the  mind,  by 
filling  it  with  the  knowledge  of  God,  to  rectifv  bad  habits,  to  chasten  evil 
tempers,  to  make  his  people  better  in  their  families  and  in  every  sphere  of  life ; 
to  exalt  everything  that  is  low  in  them,  to  ennoble  them  in  everything,  and 
to  make  them  happier,  the  friends  of  truth,  the  servants  of  God.  Here  was 
a  case,  in  which  as  a  Pastor  I  did  feel  a  peculiar  interest,  and  I  believe  that 
every  earnest  Pastor,  has  among  liis  flock  those  wiio  call  for  his  especial 
efforts  and  i)rayei'8.  1  know  it  has  always  been  so  with  me ;  and  though  this 
young  woman  came  from  a  people,  who  had  been  kind  to  me,  beyond  all 
that  1  can  express,  wa.s  a  comparative  stranger  here,  had  very  few  friends 
or  acquaintances ;  and  though  she  was  frequ'intly  very  ill,  many  times, 
as  I  believed  near  death,'  and  my  visits  to  her  were  therefore  fre- 
(jueut,  as  were  also  the  visits  of  my  dear  wife ;  yet  they  were  not 
more  frequent,  tlian  they  would  have  been  to  any  other  member  of 
my  congregation,  men  or  women,  young  or  old,  black  or  white,  under  the 
.«?,ine  oircuuistahces.     I  have  labored  to  be  a  Preactlier  of  the  Gospel,  but  as* 


earnestly  have  I  labored  also  to  be  a  faithful  Pastor, 


viaitmg 


iiiv 


peoi)le, 


comforting  them  in  their  lioui-s  of  sorrow  and  attliction,  warning  them  when 
I  believed  them  walking  in  dangerous  paths,  and  trying  in  all  things,  to 
acquit  myself  well  in  His  sight,  who  had  called  me  to  be  a  good  minister  ol' 
Jesus  Christ,  and  a  laborer  in  my  Master's  vineyard.  It  would  not  be  difli- 
cult  for  me  to  prove,  that  visits  to  other  meinboi's  of  my  flock,  and  even  to 
those  who  were  not  of  my  own  flock,  but  who  in  sickness  and  sorrow,  were 
dejirived  of  ])astoral  visitation,  because  their  church  tor  the  time  being,  was 
without  a  Piistor,  were  made  every  day,  and  sometimes  twice  a  day,  and 
sometimes  late  in  the  night. 

It  was  this  anxiety  for  her  soul's  welfare  that  led  me  to  visit  Mrs.  McM., 
on  the  evening  so  often  referred  to.  On  going  down  Pleasant  Street  on 
that  morning,  on  business,  I  noticed  the  window  of  h(ir  room  darkened;  and 
on  inquiring  1  tbund  that,  during  the  night,  she  had  been  very  ill,  believed 
she  was  dying,  and  she  looked  then  as  ill  as  she  could  be.  I  urged  her  to 
send  for  her  physician,  and  promising  to  call  in  again  1  left  her,  supposing 
that  her  physician  would  of  course  be  sent  for,  as  she  had  promised,  and 
that  she  had  done  so.   I  um  told  that  I  stated  to  the  Deacons  that  he  was  scut 


10 


for,  possibly  I  may  have  done  so,  for  1  really  thou<;ht  he  had  been  sent  for. 
My  little  grandchild  in  whom  my  very  heart  was  bound  up,  was  dangerously 
ill  that  day,  I  went  out  to  my  daughter's  house,  and  remained  there  all  day, 
nor  did  I  leave  till  the  evening,  so  anxious  did  I  feel  'about  the  dear  child. 
On  coming  into  town,  and  making  some  vii^its,  that  I  had  not  been  able  to 
make  duiiug  the  day,  and  spcndmg  some  time  late  in  the  evening  at  a 
friend's  house,  the  time  rapidly  wore  away,  and  my  promise  to  see  Mrs. 
McM.,  did  not  occur  to  me,  till  quite  late.  It  was  a  fine  evening,  and  I 
thought  though  it  was  late  to  do  so,  yet  I  would  run  down  to  her  house,  and  if 
she  had  not  retired  would  call  in.  On  going  to  her  house  I  saw  the  light  burn- 
ing, and  trying  the  outside  door,  found  it  was  locked.  I  did  not  like  to  dis- 
turb the  inmates  of  the  house,  by  knockin<;  at  the  door,  as  I  knew  that  Mrs. 
George  who  lived  in  the  house  was  quite  sick,  I  knocked  at  the  window,  in- 
stead of  the  door,  and  Mrs.  McM.  seeing  who  it  was  opened  the  door.  I 
found  her  much  better ;  she  had  been  sewing,  trying  to  make  up  for  lost 
time.  I  talked  with  her  about  her  illness  during  the  past  night,  called  her 
attention  to  the  many  sudden  deaths  that  had  lately  occurred  in  Halifax, 
and  urged  upon  her  the  need  of  preparation  for  death  and  judgment ;  I  did 
this  the  more  earnestly  because  I  could  not  tell  when  I  should  have  an  op- 
portunity of  warning  her  again ;  for  she  told  me  her  husband  had  obtained 
a  situation  in  St.  John,  read  me  the  letter  she  had  received  from  him  that 
morning,  and  told  me  she  expected  to  go  there  at  once. 

The  church  have  said  in  this  connection  that  there  is  a  discrepancy  here 
between  my  statement  and  that  of  Mrs.  McMillan.  There  was  no  such  dis- 
crepancy in*the  testimony  before  the  council.  As  to  any  seeming  dilFerence 
while  before  the  secret  Committee  it  can  easily  be  explained,  when  you 
learn  how  that  Committee  took  down  the  testimony.  While  I  was  being 
examined  before  them  a  number  of  questions  would  be  asked  me,  and  an- 
swers given,  and  no  record  made  of  them ;  presently  at  my  answer  to  some 
?uestion,  Mr.  Beck  worth  would  say  eagerly  "  put  that  down,  put  that  down," 
did  not  understand,  why,  if  they  were  recording  any  answers  to  ques- 
tions, they  did  not  put  them  all  down.  This  thing  was  constantly  oc- 
curring, sometimes  it  was  one,  sometimes  another,  who  would  say,  "  we  had 
better  put  that  down,  had  we  not,"  and  then  there  would  be  a  consultation, 
one  would  say  "  I  don't  think  it  worth  while  to  put  that  down,"  and  another 
would  say  "  Oh  yes,  put  that  down,"  &c.  Now  this  was  constantly  occur- 
ing.  1  could  not  understand  what  it  meant,  after  trying  to  conjecture  in 
vain,  at  last  I  said,  "  Do  tell  me  what  you  mean  by  the  (juestions  you  are 
asking  me,  and  what  is  your  object  in  putting  some  answers  down  and  leav- 
ing out  others  ?  "  Oh,  answered  Mr.  Sellen,  the  Chairman,  you  will  see  the 
reason  soon.  As  indeed  I  did  see  the  reason  subsecjuently,  when  after  hav- 
ing examined  me  at  two  sessions  of  upwards  of  three  hours  each,  and  hav- 
ing recorded  about  one  thirtieth  part  of  the  answers  given  by  me,  and  the 
testimony  of  others  being  then  read  to  me,  I  perceived  the  craft  of  the  men. 
Everything  that  tended  towards  exculpating  me  was  omitted  in  the  record, 
but  anything  that  could  be  made  to  bear  the  slightest  tendency  towards 
criminating  me,  or  contradicting  the  testimony  of  others,  was  carefully  put 
down.  Now  I  take  it  for  granted  the  same  measure  that  was  meted  out  to 
me,  was  measured  out  to  others,  and  as  I  am  informed  that  the  Committee 
kept  Mrs.  McM.,  in  her  examination  before  them,  from  3  o'clock  .in  the  af- 
ternoon till  about  9  in  the  evening,  and  as  all  her  recorded  testimony  could 
have  been  given  in  the  space  of  an  hour,  while  her  examination  lasted  near- 
ly if  not  quite  six  hours,  you  will  easily  understand  how  a  seeming  discrep- 
ancy might  have  arisen.  "  Did  Dr.  Pryor  talk  with  you  on  religious  sub- 
jects, did  he  say  anything  to  you  about  sudden  deaths  ?  "  "  Yes."  It  is  not 
worth  while  to  put  that  down.     "  Did  he  talk  to  you  about  anything  else  ?  " 


,  sent  for. 
ingerously 
'e  all  day, 
ear  child. 
in  able  to 
ning  at  a 
I  see  Mrs. 
ing,  and  I 
use,  and  if 
light  burn- 
ike  to  dis- 
'  that  Mrs. 
rindow,  in- 
e  door.  I 
p  for  lost 
called  her 
In  Halifax, 
lent ;  I  did 
ive  an  op- 
i  obtained 
<  him  that 

aancy  here 
J  such  dis- 
diiference 
when  you 
was  being 
le,  and  an- 
er  to  some 
fhat  down," 
to  ques- 
;tantly  oc- 
_  "  we  had 
msultation, 
nd  another 
itly  occur- 
jecture  in 
ns  you  are 
and  leav- 
wWl  sec  the 
after  hav- 
and  hav- 
e,  and  the 
)f  the  men. 
le  record, 
;y  towards 
refuUy  put 
ted  out  to 
Committee 
jn  the  af- 
lony  could 
isted  near- 
g  discrep- 
gious  SUD- 
It  is  not 
ng  else  ?  " 


. 


11 


•'  Yes  I  believe  he  did,  he  talked  about  the  letter  from  my  husband,  and  my 
going  to  St.  John."  You  need  not  put  that  down.  "  Did  he  say  anything 
concerning  the  rumors  about  you  in  the  city."  I  don't  remember  that  be 
did,  he  might  have  done  so."  "  Now  tell  me,  did  not  Dr.  P.  talk  to  you 
about  these  rumors  ?  "  Perhaps  she  would  answer,  "  I  don't  know  but  what 
he  did,  he  might  have  done  so."  Put  that  down,  and  down  it  goes  on  the 
record  in  these  words,  "  Dr.  P.,  talked  with  me  about  the  rumors  circulated 
about  me  in  Halifax."  While  at  the  same  time,  all  that  was  said  in  accord- 
ance with  my  testimony,  respecting  my  conversing  with  her  on  sudden 
deaths,  her  religious  state,  &c.,  is  omitted,  and  hence  they  manage  to  make  a 
discrepancy.  I  am  not  surprised  that  all  the  (questions  and  answers  at  Mrs. 
McM.'s  examination  were  not  put  down.  Said  Mrs.  McM.  to  me,  "are 
these  gentlemen  Christians  ?  "  "  Why  do  you  ask  such  a  question  ? "  "I 
never  was  so  insulted  in  my  life.  Questions  were  asked  me  of  such  a  nature, 
that  I  had  to  put  my  head  down  and  cover  my  face  with  my  hands,  and 
even  Mr.  Selden,  pitying  my  distress  said, '  You  need  not  answer  those 
questions.' " 

,  Not  reflecting  how  late  it  was  when  1  came  there,  and  being  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  conversation,  I  was  surprised  on  looking  at  my  watch,  to  see 
what  the  hour  was.  I  left  at  once,  and  on  going  out  of  the  door,  I  saw  a 
person  standing  near  Gas  Lane ;  without  any  very  definite  motive,  I  scarcely 
know  why,  I  crossed  the  street,  instead  of  going  up  and  passing  him,  when 
he  came  swiftly  towards  me,  with  a  club  in  his  hand.  He  bejjan  addressing 
me  in  most  abusive  terms  :  making  gross  remarks  and  accusations.  I  asked 
him  what  he  meant,  that  he  was  under  quite  an  erroneous  impression,  that  I 
had  been  to  see  a  sick  member  of  my  congregation,  &c.  But  finding  I  could 
do  nothing  to  quiet  him  in  his  state  of  excitement,  which  seemed  to  me  to 
be  occasioned  by  liquor,  I  left  him,  saying  I  would  come  down  and  see  him 
in  the  morning,  and  everything  I  thought  would  be  explained.  1  have  felt 
sorry  ever  since,  that  I  did  not  give  him  in  charge  of  the  policemen,  but 
under  the  excitement  and  embarrassment  of  the  occasion,  I  acted  as  I 
thought  best  at  the  time.  This  is  a  simple  statement  of  the  facts  of  the  case, 
and  any  one  who  knows  me,  would  readily  believe  that  the  statement  is  true. 

I  certainly  did  feel  that  I  was  Mrs.  McMillan's  Pastor,  and  accountable  for 
her,  as  one  of  my  flock,  and  I  believe  every  Pastor  would  have  felt  the 
same ;  and  yet  these  men,  with  their  usual  misrepresentation  wish  the  false 
impression  to  be  made,  that  Mrs.  McM.  was  not  a  member  of  my  congrega- 
tion, and  that  therefore  my  visits  were  not  pastoral. 

VVith  reference  to  another  point  in  the  same  letter,  I  would  just  remark 
that  an  idea  is  intended  to  be  conveyed,  that  after  visiting  Mrs.  McM.,  at 
her  room,  Dr.  Crawley  and  Judge  Johnson  came  away  with  an  unfavorable 
impression ;  whereas  I  know  from  both  gentlemen,  that  the  exact  opposite  was 
the  case,  and  that  the  inference  which  the  church  have  so  uncharitably 
drawn,  is  utterlj'  untrue. 

Before  examinmg  the  charge  "  doors  too  often  locked  "  I  would  wish  to 
say  a  word  on  another  passage  intended  also  to  convey  a  bad  impression 
viz  :  "  blinds  too  often  drawn  down."  I  remember  nothing,  and  know  noth- 
ing about  blinds  being  down.  It  is  quite  probable,  that  in  a  room,  the  only 
window  of  which  looked  toward  the  West,  to  keep  out  the  glare  of  the  after- 
noon sun,  the  blinds  might  be  put  down  ;  and  I  learn  from  Dr.  Crawley  that 
Mrs.  Maxner  herself,  the  woman  upon  whose  assertion  the  charge  is  made, 
said  this  might  be  the  reason.  I  can  only  repeat,  I  cannot  tell  whether  at 
any  time  the  blind  was  up  or  down,  when  I  was  there,  I  know  nothing  about 
it. 

I  come  now  to  a  charge  which  was  alluded  to  in  the  2d  letter  of  (iie 
church,  "doors  too  often  locked,"  but  which  is  made  almost  the  entire  subject 


1^ 


12 


of  letter  4.  1  hesitate  to  quote  the  passages  bccaase  of  their  loathsomeness, 
yet  in  order  that  yon  may  understand  the  animus  of  these  conspirators 
against  not  my  life,  but  that  which  is  dearer  to  mo  than  life,  and  the  utter 
groundlessness  of  the  charge,  I  suppose  I  must,  shall  I  say,  degrade  myself, 
by  copying  it  into  my  communication.  Here  it  is  in  all  its  native  odiousness 
and  malignity.  ■"  On  the  one  hand  we  had  for  example  the  positive  evidence, 
that  on  a  large  number  of  occasions  after  Dr.  P.  entered  Mrs.  McM.'s  room, 
the  door  was  locked  after  him.  Why  lock  the  door  after  him  ?  —  Dr.  Craw- 
ley did  not,  nor  did  any  of  Dr.  Pryor's  advocates  attempt  to  show  that  the 
fact  of  the  door  being  locked  did  not  necessarily  point  to  guilt.     Where  it  is 

E roved  clearly,  that  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  is  repeatedly  locked  in  with  a 
ad  woman,  in  her  bedroom,  we  ask  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  the  fact. 
Will  the  fact  yield  or  give  way  ?  If  there  exists  a  grave  doubt  as  to 
whether  such  is  the  fact,  then  give  all  legitimate  force  to  the  past  character 
of  the  accused.  But  then  when  it  is  a  fact  beyond  question  you  have  to 
grapple  with  it,  and  what  can  you  do  with  it  ?  What  amount  of  charity 
can  give  a  favorable  interpretation  ?  Do  you  say  he  may  have  thought  the 
woman's  character  was  goo'V  Why  lock  the  door  ?  What  woman  of  good 
character  would  not  be  ofti  'led,  if  she  found  a  ministei-  locking  her  door 
when  he  came  into  her  roons  nd  that  room  being  her  bedroom.'  Such  a 
fact  will  protrude  itself  throu^  the  thickest  mantle  of  charity.  You  cannot 
get  rid  of  it,  it  meets  you  at  every  turn,  its  hideous  countenance  is  ever 
upon  ycH." 

My  brethren,  my  friends,  I  want  to  be  cool,  I  try  to  be  calm  in  writing 
these  remarks,  but  1  declare  to  you  my  blood  boils,  as  I  read  over  these 
and  similar  passages,  reeking  with  malignity  and  falsehood,  steaming  up 
from  the  bottomless  pit.  I  find  it  impossible  to  restrain  my  indignation.  I 
have  thrown  down  my  pen,  I  have  paced  my  room,  I  have  cried  to  my  God, 
Oh  my  God  give  me  patience,  and  calm  my  perturbed  spirit.  These  devil- 
ish statements,  devilish  in  their  intention,  devilish  in  their  falsehoods,  coming 
from  men  who  profess  to  be  followers  of  the  God  of  truth  and  love ! 

But  I  want  to  give  only  a  calm  statement  of  facts.  T  restrain  the  ex- 
pression of  my  feelings,  and  ask  you,  friends,  dispassionately  to  read  over 
again  these  statements  of  the  church,  and  demand  the  proof.  On  what  irre- 
fragable proof  are  these  statements  founded  ?  What  is  the  solid  foundation 
on  which  they  are  built  V  Was  the  door  of  any  room,  while  I  was  visiting 
this  member  of  my  congregation  in  her  sickness  and  distress,  ever  found 
locikcdy  Did  any  one  ever  at  any  time  while  I  was  there  try  the  door,  and 
find  it  looked  V  Surely  some  one  must  have  done  this,  or  these  assertions 
would  not  have  been  made  and  reiterated.  Or  did  any  one  see  me  lock  the 
door,  or,  see  Mrs.  McM.,  do  it  V  No,  friends,  no  !  nothing  of  the  kind.  The 
statement  thus  put  forth,  rests  upon  the  mere  assertion  of  two  women,  one  of 
whom  declared,  that  though  she  had  a  family  to  look  after  shef  never  left  her 
window,  but  sat  at  it  all  day  long,  to  watch  when  I  should  pome  down :  that 
she  peeped  in  at  the  keyhole,  but  could  see  nothing  wrong ;  that  she 
climbed  up  on  the  back  porch,  and  tried  to  listen  at  the  window,  and  once 
thought  she  heard  whispering.  The  testimony  of  this  woman  was  rendered 
utterly  worthless  from  its  contradictions  to  her  husband's  testimony,  as  well 
to  her  own,  and  from  its  manifest  absurdities  in  other  respects ;  this  was  one. 
The  testimony  of  the  other  woman  was  shown  to  be  equally  unreliable,  from 
the  falsehood  proved  against  her  as  well  as  by  the  letter  of  a  respected  medical 
gentleman  of  this  city,  as  also  by  the  assertions  of  Mrs.  Pryor.  Yet  upon 
the  testimony  of  these  unreliable  (I  use  the  lAildest  term)  witnesses,  the 
charge  made  thus  against  their  former  Pastor,  for  more  than  35  years  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  rests.  And  now  what  is  the  amount  of  their  testi- 
mony.    One  of  them  said,  she  was  in  her  bedroom,  which  was  separated  by 


;1 


loatlisomeiiess, 
se  conspirators 
,  and  the  utter 
lej^rade  myself, 
itive  odiousness 
sitive  evidence, 
McM.'8  room, 
?  —  Dr.  Craw- 
show  that  the 
t.  Where  it  is 
ckcd  in  with  a 
>  with  the  fact. 
!  doubt  as  to 
past  character 
1  you  have  to 
unt  of  charity 
e  thought  the 
oman  of  good 
king  her  door 
room.'  Such  a 
.  You  cannot 
enance  is  ever 


n  writing 


ahn 

ad  over  these 
,  steaming  up 
ndignation.  I 
:d  to  my  God, 
These  devil- 
ihoods,  coming 
love ! 

train  the  ex- 

to  read  over 

n  what  irre- 

i<l  foundation 

ll  was  visiting 

,  ever  found 

|he  door,  and 

se  assertions 

me  lock  the 

ekind.    The 

omen,  one  of 

ever  left  her 

down :  that 

|g;   that  she 

w,  and  once 

as  rendered 

ony,  as  well 

his  was  one. 

liable,  from 

ted  medical 

Yet  upon 

tnesses,  the 

35  years  a 

their  testi- 

parated  by 


13 


a  hall  and  another  room  from  Mrs.  McMillan's  room,  and  that  there  she 
heard  a  sound  which  she  judged  to  be  the  locking  of  the  door.  The  other 
woman  said,  she  thought  she  heard  the  click  of  the  lock,  she  being  down  stall's, 
and  Mrs.  McMillan's  room  up  stairs.  This  is  the  testimony  the  sole  testi- 
mony, upon  which  rest  these  charges  made  against  me.  Brethren,  can  you 
wonder  at  my  indignation  ?  can  you  wonder  at  the  terms,  on  which  others 
have  stigmatized  these  conspirators,  after  this  display  ?  Htid  either  or  both 
of  these  women  heard  the  sound  of  the  lock,  being  at  the  distance  they 
were  from  Mrs.  McMillan's  room,  is  there  no  way  of  explaining  it,  but  by 
the  charge  of  guilt  ?  You  who  are  ministers  and  pastors,  when  you  have 
been  about  to  kneel  down  and  pray  with  some  of  your  flock  in  their 
room,  have  you  never  known  them  to  lock  the  door  first,  for  fear  of  inter- 
ruption ?  Again  and  again  has  this  occurred  with  me.  Why  only  on  this 
last  Sabbath,  calling  to  see  some  Christian  friends  who  resided  in  a  house, 
part  of  which  was  occupied  by  another  family,  as  I  invited  them  to  join  me 
in  prayer,  one  of  them  rose  from  her  seat,  and  locked  the  door.  Mrs.  Mc- 
Millan was  in  the  habit  of  keeping  her  door  locked.  Sometimes  a  short  in- 
terval, not  unfrequently  a  longer  one,  would  of  necessity  elapse  between 
knocking  at  the  dofir,  and  the  opening  of  it.  Would  there  be  any  differ- 
ence in  the  click  of  a  lock  when  being  locked,  or  being  unlocked  ?  Could 
not  the  sound,  if  really  heard,  be  that  of  the  unlocking  of  the  door  ?  Be- 
sides I  wonder  it  did  not  occur  to  the  Clerk  of  the  Granville  Street  Church, 
who,  for  a  young  man,  brought  up  in  the  country,  and  having  resided  in  the 
city  for  a  comparatively  short  time,  showed  a  strange  familiarity  with  the 
arrangement  of  doors,  blinds,  &c.,  in  improper  houses,  and  a  knowledge  of 
such  houses,  which  was  (pute  new  to  me,  and  must  have  astonished  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Council,  as  it  did  me, —  I  wonder  it  did  not  occur  to  him,  that  if 
a  door  was  to  be  locked  with  a  guilty  purpose,  it  would  be  done  gently,  and 
not  with  a  click  that  would  be  heard  at  a  distance.  Upon  the  idle  prating 
and  tittle-tattle  of  these  women,  whose  testimony,  even  if  it  were  true, 
would  amount  to  absolutely  nothing,  have  these  conspirators  against  my 
reputation,  dearer  to  us  than  life,  hiive  dared  to  make  their  slanderous  and 
infamous  charge.  I  repeat  it,  friends,  upon  these  assertions,  of  these,  such 
witnesses,  the  conspirators  have  dared  to  make  their  infamous  charge  against 
me ! 

Brethren  and  friends,  let  me  state  to  vou  the  facts,  and  I  trust  you  will 
believe  me.  In  the  first  place  Mrs.  McM.  is  not  a  bad  woman,  as  they  style 
her.  Certainly  I  do  not  believe  her  to  be  so.  I  know  rumors  have  been 
spread  about,  to  her  detriment.  I  have  inquired  into  all  I  could  get  hold  of, 
and  have  found  every  one  of  tliem  groundless.  There  was  a  report  brought 
to  me  respecting  her,  that  had  much  plausibility  and  appearance  of  truth. 
Much  disturbed  at  it,  I  went  up  to  her  house  and  there  in  the  presence  of 
her  husband,  I  told  her  what  I  had  heard.  With  a  readiness  and  frankness 
that  truthfulness  only  could  give,  she  explained  the  matter,  and  showed  to 
our  full  satisfaction,  that  this,  like  all  the  other  rumors  I  had  inquired  into, 
was  not  true  in  fact.  Mrs.  McMillan  docs  not  possess  the  character  these 
men  have  endeavored  to  aflix  to  her.  1  believed  her  then,  I  believe  her 
now,  t«  be  a  chaste  woman,  faithful  to  her  marriage  vows.  So  much  for 
the  assertion  that  Dr.  P.  was  locked  up  with  a  bad  woman. 

In  the  second  place,  T  solemnly  declare  to  you,  my  friends,  that  Mrs.  Mc- 
Millan's door  was  never  locked  to  my  knowledge,  when  I  was  in  her  room, 
except  once ;  when  residing  at  Mrs.  Patterson's  house  the  handle  of  the  lock 
was  broken  and  the  door  could  only  thus  be  kept  shut.  I  never  at  any  time 
locked  the  door,  nor  did  I  ever  know  her  to  do  it,  with  that  single  exception. 
Yet  observe  what  these  men  say,  "  What  woman  of  good  character  would 
not  be  offended  if  she  found  a  minister  locking  her  door  when  he  came  into 


14 


i  '■ 


her  room  anil  that  room  her  bedroom."  Dear  friends,  if  not  too  much  dis- 
giiKted,  read  the  wliole  passage  again,  and  then  say,  is  this  a  true  representa- 
tion ?  Had  the  door  at  any  tin»e  even  been  found  loeked,  could  it  be  at- 
tributed to  no  motive  but  a  wii-ked  one  ?  According  to  the  rei^uirements  of 
that  cliainty  "  which  thinkctli  no  evil,"  wouhl  it  be  necessary  to  put  such  a 
construction  upon  it  as  they  liave  ?  Is  it  tlie  construction  of  common  justice  ? 
Yet  without  any  proof,  but  simply  upon  the  idle  empty  prating  of  these  two 
unreliable  tattlmg  women,  and  whose  statements  aher  all  contain  nothing 
conclusive,  these  men  hav(!  maliciously  and  slanderously  made  this  shamc- 
fiil  and  fiilse  accusation.  The  Pastor  of  one  of  the  city  churches  speaking 
about  this  accusation  said  to  me,  "  What  malice  in  these  men  !  Why  let  me 
tell  you,  that  not  once  or  twice,  but  in  a  multitude  of  instances,  here  in  my 
own  study,  as  well  as  in  their  own  rooms,  when  young  women  and  others 
have  come  to  me  confidentially  seeking  advice  of  me,  as  their  Pastor,  have  I 
locked  the  door,  that  they  might  without  interruption,  open  freely  their 
minds  to  me."  It  so  happened,  however,  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  McM.  with  the 
single  exception  stated  above,  and  whicli  I  myself  mentioned  to  the  Com- 
mittee, the  door  was  never  locked,  and  this  was  stated  by  Mrs.  McM.  and  by 
myself  to  the  Committee.  Yet  in  the  face  of  my  solentn  asseveration,  the 
oath  of  a  Christian  man,  and  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  whose  life  has  been 
known  to  you  all  for  more  than  35  yeare,  and  whose  character  and  truthftd- 
ness  were  never  before  impeached,  have  these  bold  bad  men  founded  their 
charge  against  me,  and  then  hypocritically  say  "  they  do  all  this  in  the  fear 
of  God,  and  for  the  honor  of  the  religion  of  our  common  Saviour."  Oh, 
how  my  smd  loathes  such  hypocrisy,  "  Procul,  0  procul  esle,  pro/ani !  "  Oh, 
my  soul  come  not  thou  into  their  secret ;  unto  their  iussembly,  mine  honor  be 
not  thou  united,"  Ye  hypocrites,  ye  generation  of  vipei-s  how  can  ye  escape 
the   damnation  of  hell  V "     But  I  must  repress  my  indignation. 

Now  with  reference  to  the  Miss  Vass  case.  As  there  may  be  some  mis- 
apprehension in  the  minds  of  those  uninformed  in  the  truth,  and  who  may 
have  received  wrong  impressions  from  the  misrepresentations  of  the  Gran- 
ville Street  Church,  I  beg  to  state  the  facts.  Soon  after  being  chosen  Pas- 
tor of  that  church,  I  learned  that  an  old  friend  of  mine.  Miss  v  ass,  had  lost 
her  father.  I  calle<l  to  see  her,  we  had  a  long  and  pleasant  conversation, 
and  our  interview  concluded  with  devotional  exercises.  I  was  then  preach- 
ing for  this  church,  though  my  residence  was  in  Wolfville.  After  a  long 
absence  from  Granville  Street  Church,  Miss  Vass  concluded  to  return  to  it, 
she  took  a  pew  and  Ijccanie  a  regular  attendant  at  the  services. 

Shortly  bef()re  I  removed  to  Halifax,  the  gentleman  who  had  been  Miss 
Vass'  agent  died.  Slie  consulted  with  me,  as  her  friend  and  Pastor,  on  the 
subject  of  his  successor.  I  mentioned  two  gentlemen  of  our  congregation 
whom  I  thought  suitalile,  but  she  was  unwilling  to  oifer  them  the  situation. 
I  then  mentioned  another  gentleman,  not  of  our  congregation,  and  by  her 
consent,  I  called  and  convei-sed  with  him  on  the  subject.  He  was  unwilling 
to  be  her  agent,  but  offered  his  professional  services  if  retiuired.  With  this 
answer  I  returned  to  Miss  Vass,  and  she  then  informed  me  there  was  a  per- 
son whom  she  desired  to  have  as  her  agent.  Telling  her,  I  would  do  all  I 
could  to  forward  her  wishes,  I  asked  wlio  the  person  was,  and  she  said  she 
meant  myself.  I  had  not  thought  of  such  a  thing,  and  told  her  I  did  not 
see  how  it  was  possible  for  me  to  undertake  it ;  that  I  wius  no  accountant, 
that  even  in  my  own  small  business,  I  had  employed  Mr.  Twining,  and  sub- 
sequently my  brother,  as  I  never  kept  books ;  that  I  was  quite  ready  to  give 
my  advice  in  the  management  of  her  business,  but  I  was  unwilling  to  be  her 
agent.  She  urged  it  u[)on  me,  very  strongly,  saying  she  only  wished  me  to 
act  for  her,  as  I  was  accustomed  to  act  for  myself,  that  she  considered  her 
property  the  Lord's,  and  wished  it  employed  in  his  service.     I  told  her  I 


i 


lo  much  dig- 
i  representa- 
tild  it  be  at- 
uirements  of 
>  put  suuh  a 
non  justice  ? 
of  these  two 
ain  nothing 
tliis  shamc- 
ics  speaking 
Why  let  me 
here  in  my 
and  others 
astor,  have  I 
freely  their 
!M.  with  the 
0  the  Com- 
IcM.  and  by 
iteration,  the 
ife  has  been 
nd  trutliful- 
unded  their 
in  the  fear 
iour."  Oh, 
fani!  "Oh, 
ne  honor  be 
n.  ye  escape 
n. 

■  some  mis- 

^  who  may 

the  Gran- 

losen  Pas- 

iiss,  had  lost 

mversation, 

en  preach- 

fter  a  long 

turn  to  it, 

been  Miss 

tor,  on  the 

ngregation 

situation. 

nd  by  her 

unwilling 

With  this 

was  a  per- 

1  do  all  I 

i  said  she 

I  did  not 

!conntant, 

and  sub- 

y  to  give 

to  be  her 

;d  me  to 

ered  her 

Id  her  I 


15 


would  give  it  consideration.  I  thought  over  the  matter  carefully.  It  seemed 
to  me  tliat  as  one  consecrated  to  tlu;  service  of  my  Lord,  I  could  not  re- 
fuse where  property  was  to  be  devoted  to  his  cause.  Besides,  as  Miss  Vass 
coutem])lated  a  change  in  her  establishment,  I  supposed  1  should  shortly  be  re- 
lieved of  a  part  at  least  of  the  burden.  I  consented  therefore  to  undertake  the 
office,  stating  again  to  Miss  V.,  that  though  I  had  confidence  in  my  judgment 
80  far  as  busmess  was  concerned,  yet  that  I  was  not  an  accountant.  I  was 
answered,  "  act  for  me  as  you  would  for  yourself,  this  is  all  I  ask." 

The  change  in  Miss  V.'s  domestic  arrangements,  which  I  had  anticipated, 
did  not  take  place  ;  conseouently  there  was  thrown  upon  me  a  burden  which 
was  heavy,  but  which  I  did  not  feel  that  in  honor  and  justice  to  her  I  could 
refuse.  The  building  of  a  large  house  on  the  peninsula  was  in  progress, 
and  it  was  necessary,  as  contracts  had  l)een  made,  and  some  of  them  partly 
fulfilled,  to  finish  the  house  and  surroundings.  I  tried  to  keep  everything 
straight  and  square ;  and  I  acted  for  Miss  V.  in  this  case,  as  in  all  others,  as 
I  could  or  would  have  acted  for  myself  and  more  carefully  than  I  did  for 
myself  when  I  built  two  houses  in  Cambridge. 

The  house  after  being  finished  was  not  thought  suitable  for  a  residence  for 
Miss  v.,  and  was  sold.  At  this  time,  as  it  wjis  diiHcult  to  hire  a  house,  I 
concluded  to  build  or  buy  one ;  and  was  in  treaty  for  a  site,  when  Miss  V. 
said  to  me  she  wished  a  house  built  for  herself  in  the  city,  and  one  for  me 
also.  As  there  had  been  some  talk  among  friends  about  a  parsonage,  sup- 
posing she  referred  to  that,  I  said,  "  You  mean  a  residence  for  the  pastor  for 
the  time  being."  Her  reply  was,  "  No.  I  wish  a  house  built  for  you,  and 
which,  being  yours,  Mi-s.  Pryor  would  not  be  turned  out  of,  should  you  be 
taken  away  before  her."  This  was  a  generous  proposal,  and  I  expressed  my 
gratitude  for  it.  This  intention  of  Miss  V.  was  no  secret.  She  often  talked 
to  others  about  it,  as  well  as  to  myself. 

A  site  Wivs  bought,  plans  drawn  up,  and  proposals  received,  —  all  which 
met  her  full  approbation.  She  stated  to  me  she  wished  me  to  take  the  whole 
matter  in  my  hands,  and  that  she  wanted  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
building,  etc.,  until  the  houses  were  finished  and  ready  for  occupation.  I 
took  the  business  into  my  own  hands,  as  requested. 

The  building  of  these  two  houses  involved  a  large  expenditure  of  money, 
which  sometimes  it  was  difficult  to  procure,  at  the  time  when  it  was  needed 
to  meet  engagements.  Mr.  Ritchie  knows  how  often  I  was  put  to  straits, 
and  though  he  used  every  endeavor  j)ossible  to  get  in  outstanding  debts, 
mortgages,  etc.,  yet  so  pressingly  came  the  demands — in  more  than  one  case  a 
suit  being  threatened — that  I  was  conipellod  to  raise  the  money  by  notes  in 
the  banks.  It  ought  not  to  be  thouglit  strange,  if,  with  my  ignorance  of  ac- 
counts, especially  as  they  became  so  multij)lied  and  divei-se,  some  errors  may 
have  crept  in ;  but  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  no  wrong  has  been  done  to 
Miss  Vass,  and  I  form  my  conclusion  from  this,  that  while  I  lived  most  eco- 
nomically, and  certainly  within  my  income,  I  have  expended  a  considerable 
sum  of  money  out  of  my  own  little  property  which  I  possessed  before  I 
undertook  her  business. 

V  A  S  S     A  C  C  O  U  N  T  » . 

My  accounts  were  investigated  by  Mr.  Demille.  He  examined  all  my 
papers,  made  enquiries  at  the  banks  and  elsewhere,  and  finally  made  out  a 
new  account.  According  to  his  showing,  mistakes  were  found  all  through 
my  accounts,  some  of  which  affected  Miss  Vass,  while  others,  to  an  equal 
extent,  affiacted  myself. 

Now,  the  true  nature  of  the  questions  ought  not  to  be  forgotten.  The 
charge  made  against  me  was,  that  I  had  taken  $4,800,  or  upwards,  of  Miss 


■v'I% 


N 


Vaas'  money,  and  used  it  for  my  own  pur|M)8c.s.  The  Cliureh  charged  hie 
with  fraud.  It  was  for  fraud  that  they  suspended  me  from  communion  and 
virtually  excluded  me.  Now,  if  it  cojjld  be  shown  that  this  amount  could  be 
accounted  for, — if  it  could  be  shown  tliat  it  had  all  been  expended  in  Miss 
Vass'  business,  or  that  the  deficiencj  was  only  an  imaginary  one  arising  from 
entries  made  in  error,  which  would  vanish  when  the  errors  were  corrected, — 
then  the  charj^e  of  fraud  must  fall  to  the  ground.  Whether  I  used  Miss 
Vass'  money  wisely  or  unwisely,  and  wliether  1  ought  or  ought  not  to  pay 
the  penalty  of  any  mistakes  that  might  have  arisen  through  inexperience, 
would  be  a  question  not  for  the  Church,  but  for  another  tribunal. 

I  have  already  alluded  to  the  credit  of  $500  and  the  entry  of  the  Howard 
money,  $47.5.  In  addition  to  these,  it  was  found  that  in  ray  accounts  I  had 
omitted  all  mention  of  payments  made  on  discounts,  which  amounted,  as  far 
as  could  be  ascertained  from  examination  at  the  banks,  to  $91 7.41.  Another 
account  of  $290  had  been  omitted.  My  erroi-s  in  this  way  against  myself 
amounted  to, — 

Overclmrges  ayainst  myself $1,072.45 

Omissions  of  jmyments  inudc 1,416.41 

$2,488.86 

On  one  charge  brought  by  the  Committee  on  the  McVean  account,  which 
at  first  amounted  to  $1,051.87,  great  stress  was  laid.  This  was  afterward 
reduced,  u|)on  further  examination.  I  (|uote  from  the  Church's  reply  to 
lion.  Judge  Johnston,  page  42,  Appendix:  "Upon  the  request  of  brother 
Greenwood,  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  it  was  resolved  that  the  Com- 
mittee have  power  to  deduct  the  sum  of  $418  from  the  amount  stated  in  their 
rejjort,  as  overcharged  by  Dr.  Pryor,  as  paid  to  Messrs.  McVean  &  Co., 
and  that  the  further  sujn  of  $402  be  deducted  from  said  overcharges  as  soon 
as  the  note  of  Messi-s.  McVean  &  Rheeland,  in  favor  of  Miss  Vass,  lor  the 
latter  amount  is  handed  over  to  Miss  Vass ;  thus  leaving  the  net  sum  of 
$231  still  overcharged  as  being  paid  Messrs.  McVean  &  Co." 

The  note  alluded  to  in  the  above  was  presented  before  the  Council,  and  I 
now  have  it  in  my  ])ossession.  IJy  this  extract,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  dis- 
crepancy in  the  McVean  account  was  reduced  from  $1,051.87  to  $231. 

A  check  of  C,  Twining  for  $530  was  charged  against  me,  but  on  no 
sufiicient  ground.     Tliis  I  refuse  to  acknowledge. 

A  check  of  Messrs.  Ritciiie,  drawn  in  favor  of  Miss  Vass,  for  ^1,431.52, 
was  also  charged  against  me.  This  I  deny  having  received,  but  maintain 
that  it  was  j)aid  directly  to  Miss  Vass, — first,  from  private  memoranda  which 
were  shown  to  the  Council ;  and,  secondly,  from  the  fact  that  it  was  drawn 
in  Miss  Vass'  favor,  whereas  all  tlie  money  that  I  received  was  drawn  in  my 
name,  as  was  clearly  shown  before  tlie  Council  from  returned  checks. 

Tlie  following  is  a  statement  of  accounts  charged  against  me  by  the 
Church,  and  my  statement  in  answer :  — 


CIIAUGl'.S    »Y    TIIK   COMMITTKK. 

Overcharges  aijainst  Miss  Viiss $753.82 

Omissions 1 .050.00 

McVean  account 1 ,051 .87 

Ritchie  cheek 1,431.52 

Twining  check 530.80 

$4,818.01 


17 


MY    8TATKMENT. 

Overcharged  against  myself $1,073.45 

Omissiona  of  paymenta  mode  by  mo 1,420.68 

Deduction  from  McVcau  account,  made  by  Church,  aH  above  .      820.00 

Kitchie'H  check,  not  paid  to  me,  but  to  MiHii  VaHS 1,431.52 

Twinncy  check,  not  received 530.80 

$5,275.45 

The  Committee  afterward  brought  in  a  new  report  of  which,  liowever,  I 
4Ud  not  receive  HufHcient  notice  to  enable  nio  to  examine  it  in  time.  It  con- 
tained fresh  charges  to  the  extent  of  $822.  Had  it  been  an  arbitration, 
where  each  side  might  have  ready  access  to  the  books  and  papers  of  the 
other,  I  could  have  entered  into  larger  explanations.  With  reference  to 
this  I  may  say,  that  an  amount  which  I  have  charged  to  myself,  in  the  firxt 
part  of  the  account,  I  now  believe  to  be  an  entire  mistake,  made  througis 
my  ignorance.  It  was  a  credit  of  $600,  which  must  have  been  paid  by  me 
instead  of  received,  (since  it  was  a  Bank  deposit,  made  in  favor  of  Mi.^s 
Vass.) 

It  wiis  in  this  way  that  I  accounted  to  the  Council  for  the  money  which 
had  been  entrusted  to  my  care.  I  made  mistakes  in  accounts,  nothing  more . 
Those  mistakes  occurred  on  both  sides,  and  arose  simply  from  an  ignorance 
of  bookkeeping  combined  with  want  of  method. 

I  also  laiil  before  the  Council  two  papers,  one  of  which  contained  an  in- 
ventory of  Miss  Vass'  property  when  I  took  charge  of  it,  and  the  other  an 
inventory  of  the  same  when  I  relinquished  the  charge.  Here  too  the  result 
was  favorable  to  me,  and  showed  that  whatever  mistakes  had  been  com- 
mitted by  me  on  paper,  the  solid  value  of  the  property  had  increased. 

Let  it  never  be  forgotten  that  the  true  tjuestion  is  how.  to  account  for  the 
mistakes  that  appear.  In  the  Report  of  the  Committee,  they  constantly  treat 
my  statements  of  mistakes  and  omissions,  as  so  many  attempts  at  ofisets  to 
business  charges.  They  acknowledge  that  a  certain  amount  was  spent  on  dis- 
counts, but  refuse  to  "  allow  "  it.  They  will  not  "  allow  "  the  Howard  pay- 
ment. Yet  it  remains  a  fact  that  these  were  both  mistakes  which  when  ad- 
justed, would  account  for  an  apparent  deficit  to  a  large  amount,  when  all 
the  mistakes  are  corrected  there  ajjpcars  a  surplus  in  my  liivor.  Under 
t  lii'HC  circumstances  there  could  have  been  no  fraud. 

If  tlie  case  Were  one  of  a  business  settlement  between  Miiss  Vass  and  my- 
self other  items  would  have  been  brought  forward.  I  undertook  the  man- 
agement as  a  friend.  She  brought  me  up  and  held  me  to  account  as  a  mere 
business  agent.  If  I  were  to  make  out  my  account  as  a  business  agent,  1 
should  have  the  right  to  charge  commission  for  my  management  at  the  same 
rate  which  was  charged  by  her  former  agent.  This  connnission  would 
amount  to  $3000,  and  would  leave  her  largely  In  my  debt. 

As  to  the  idea  of  intentional  wrong  or  fraud  entering  into  my  mind,  they 
must  be  utterly  imacqnaintcd  with  me  who  could  harbor  the  thought  for  a 
moment.  1  hate  to  speak  about  myself,  and  yet  there  are  times  when  it  may 
be  necessary.  Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  circunistance  I  now  mention, 
liy  othei-s.  I  had  invested  nearly  my  whole  property  in  a  stock  company. 
A  friend,  who  had  been  invited  to  make  an  investment  in  the  same  company, 
went  to  West  Columbia,  and  made  a  pereonal  examination.  Upon  his 
return,  he  called  upon  me,  and  urged  me  to  sell  out.  On  enquiring  into 
the  reason  for  this  advice,  after  some  time  he  informed  me  he  believed  the 
property,  from  the  way  which  it  had  managed,  was  in  such  a  condition,  that 
the  stockholdei-s  would  lose  all  they  had  in  it.  Now  I  had  upwards  of 
$40,000  invested  in  that  stock,  and  had  I  taken  the  stock  into  Boston,  and 

3 


! 


(ttrt  !t  into  tlio  handu  of  my  bmker,  it  could  OHHily  Iiavu  I>ecn  sold  for  par. 
or,  above  it.  It  was  a  8))eculatioii,  and  if  any  one  choose  to  buy  it  on  specu- 
lation that  was  his  lookout,  and  not  mine.    "  Caveat  emptor." 

These  and  other  pressing  reasoas  were  presented  to  me.  Nearly  all  I 
owned  in  the  world,  the  property  whicli  would  be  the  means  of  snstainiii); 
mv  dear  wife,  and  family,  should  anything  happen  to  nte,  would  be  lost ;  for 
I  had  implicit  confidence  in  the  judgment  of  my  friend,  and  knew  he  stated 
the  truth  in  the  case.  Tlic  full  sum  could  be  realized  in  cash  bv  my  broker 
without  my  name  being  mentioned  or  known.  I  knew  that  tiie  usages  of 
men  of  business  would  l>ear  me  out,  if  I  sold.  I  thought  over  the  matter.  I 
remembered  the  golden  rale.  I  remembered  Him  who  reouired  of  me  U* 
do  justly  according  to  my  conscience ;  and  in  the  fear  of  God,  however 
great  might  be  the  sacrifice  of  my  property,  I  determined  to  do  what  I  be- 
lieved to  be  right.  "  Fiat  Juatitia,  mat  caetum."  1  refused  to  sell  out,  and 
thus  harm  another,  by  benefiting  myself.  What  my  friend  anticipated  cnnif 
to  pass.  1  lost  all  tnat  I  had  received  from  my  father's  estate,  from  my 
grandfather,  and  from  other  sources ;  and  I,  who  had  been  the  possessor  of 
u  comfortable  inde{)endence  from  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  at  nearly  fifly,  had 
to  become  dependant  upon  my  own  labor.  1  never  have  regretted  what  1 
then  did.  Jt  pained  me,  indeed,  to  have  lost  the  good  opinion  of  the  friend 
whose  advice  I  refused,  and  others,  who  looked  upon  me  as  absurdly  scrupu- 
lous. Though  I  have  felt  the  need  of  that  money,  and  never  more  so  than 
during  the  past  year,  I  have  never  regretted  my  decision.  I  did  right  in 
the  sight  of  my  God,  and  in  his  fear ;  and  not  for  all  the  riches  of  the  world 
would  I  do  that,  which  would  pain  my  conscience,  and  interrupt  my  free- 
dom of  communion  with  my  Heavenly  Father.  And  yet  I  am  stigma- 
tized, by  the  Granville  Street  Church,  as  a  fraudulent  man,  and  under 
this  charge,  liiey  have  withdrawn  fellowship  from  me.  "  Oh,  Father  for- 
give them,"  I  wish  I  could  say,  "  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Do  you 
ask,  why  I  think  they  are  not  sinning  ignorantly  ?  Let  me  give  a  single 
illustration,  that  of  the  five  hundred  dollars  charged  wrongly  against  my- 
self. 

'On  the  first  evening  when  the  Committee,  who  had  this  matter  in  charge 
uiet  me,  they  pointed  out  discrepancies  in  my  account.  I  was  greatly  sur- 
prised at  what  they  said  ;  and  though  I  could  not,  and  did  not  understan«l 
liow  they  came  to  their  conclusion,  yet  as  I  supposed  they  were  good  ac- 
countants, I  took  it  for  gi'anted  they  were  right :  and  deeply  depressed  1 
was,  as  you  may  suppose,  at  this  additional  trouble  thus  thrown  upon  me. 
Immediately  upon  going  home,  I  searched  every  place  I  could  think  of, 
where  I  had  thrown  waste  paper,  my  boxes,  my  stove,  into  which  1  was  ac- 
customed to  throw  any  papers  I  had  done  with,  but  all  without  avail ;  I  found 
u  receipt  or  two,  and  one  or  two  memorandums  bearing  on  the  matter,  but 
that  was  all.  I  then  looked  over  Mr.  Ritchie's  account,  as  that  was  the 
most  important  one,  and  compared  it  item  by  item  with  my  book.  In  the 
course  of  my  examination,  I  discovered  I  had  charged  myself  with  $500, 
whereas  in  Mr.  Ritchie's  account  it  was  but  $<100.  I  met  one  of  the  Com- 
mittee in  the  street,  tlie  same  day,  and  mentioned  it  to  him,  and  in  the  even- 
ing, when  I  was  again  called  before  the  Committee,  I  stated  it  to  them. 

Observe  now  the  Churcli's  account  of  this  simple  fact,  and  you  will  judge 
then  whether  they  are  sinning  ignorantly.  The  fact  of  the  sura  wrongly 
charged  against  me,  could  not  be  denied,  but  by  some  craft  and  ingenuity 
it  might  be  evaded ;  and  here  is  a  specimen  of  "  cunning  craftiness,"  in 
whicli  these  men  have  showed  themselves  to  be  adepts.  *'  In  regard  to  the 
larger  sum  we  may  remark,  that  Dr.  Pryor  pointed  out  the  error  himself. 
He  took  the  book  in  his  hand,  and  turning  over  the  leaves  rapidly,  put  his 
finger  on   the  item  (against  which  there  was  a  cross  made,  before  it  came 


19 


re  it  caino 


into  the  handf*  of  the  Committee)  and  said,  '*  But  if  1  have  madf  errors 
it^ainst  Miss  V.  I  have  made  eirors  arrainnt  myself!"  The  innuendo  in  this 
extract,  had  been  made  at  one  of  tlie  ehuroh  meetings  in  my  presence,  and 
I  had  carefully  answeretl  it,  as  al>ove,  stating  also,  iw  was  known  to  every 
<me  of  them,  that  the  Committee  received  the  book  front  Miss  V.,  and  not 
from  rac,  and  that  when  I  gave  it,  as  my  statement  to  Miss  V.,  it  had  not  n 
single  mark,  but  Mnaa  now  fidl  of  them ;  and  among  others  was  a  cross 
against  this  item,  which  had  been  made,  as  were  the  others,  prtibably  by 
some  friend  of  Miss  V.,  who  had  examined  the  book  with  her.  TAm  wan  alt 
iiistinclbi  slated  and  proved  at  the  church  meeting,  in  the  presence  of  those  who 
wrote  the  above  pcuisaffe.     Is  tliis  sinning  ijjnorantly  V 

Another  matter  has  been  brought  before  you  by  these  men,  v'lr. :  —  the 
♦•harge  of  wrong  dealing  with  reference  to  Mrs.  Howard's  i>urchase.  I  shall 
state  the  circumstances  as  brieHy  as  possible.  Mi.ss  Vass  owned  a  valuable 
pi-operty  on  Hollis  Sti*cet,  which,  however,  an  it  was  unproductive  and  bur- 
dened with  ta^les,  she  desired  to  sell.  I  had  tned  hard  to  dispose  of  it,  and 
it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  several  persons,  that  they  hiiglit  sell  it  if  they 
could,  but  without  success ;  as  no  one  seemed  willing  to  give  the  price  Miss 
V.  had  set  upon  it.  She  informed  me  (»ne  day,  tnat  Mrs.  H.  had  called 
upon  her,  and  talked  of  purchiusing  the  property,  and  she  requested  me  to 
see  Mi"s.  H.,  na  she  would  be  })leased  to  sell  it  to  her.  I  saw  Mrs.  H.  and  son, 
and  we  had  a  conversation  on  the  matter,  and  an  offer  was  made,  which  J 
deemed  inadequate  and  [  left.  The  next  day  Mrs.  H.  called  again  on  Miss 
v.,  and  wished  to  have  the  dealing  directly  with  her.  This  Miss  V.  refused 
to  do,  and  again  referred  her  to  me.  f  called  upon  Mrs.  H.  and  stated  to 
her  frankly  and  decidedly  that  Miss  V.  hail  set  the  price  of  .£2,500  upon  the 
property,  and  that  unless  she  Mrs.  H.  came  up  to  that  price,  the  matter  was 
ended.  After  consultation  with  her  son,  she  agreed  to  give  the  price ;  to 
pay  10  per  cent,  down,  the  remainder  at  the  end  of  the  year  if  required, 
but  without  interest  for  that  year.  Without  assenting  or  dissenting,  I  went 
home  and  saw  Miss  V.,  and  we  talked  the  matter  over  ;  and  she  fully  and 
heartily  agreed  to  take  the  offer,  and  to  forego  the  interest  for  the  time 
specified,  and  desired  me  at  once  to  conclude  the  bargain.  This  I  did,  and  an 
agreement  was  signed  between  Mrs.  H.  and  son,  on  the  one  hand,  and  my- 
self, as  Miss  V.'s  agent  on  the  other. 

Now  see  how  Granville  Street  Church  has  stated  the  case,  and  remember 
thiit  the  transaction  was  stated  exactly  as  above,  at  two  church  hieetings, 
and  not  denied  by  Miss  Vass,  and  never  has  been  denied  by  her,  and  was 
also  stated  before  the  Council,  so  that  these  men  cannot  say,  tliey  were 
ignorant  of  the  facts  in  the  case.  Here  is  their  published  statement.  "  He 
sold  a  property  of  Miss  Vass'  and  agreed  not  to  exact  interest  for  a  certain 
time.  When  Miss  V.  heard  it,  she  was  displeased,  because  she  had  expressed 
her  unwillingness  to  take  less  than  the  full  .sum  with  interest.  Finding  that 
lie  had  gone  contrary  to  her  wishes  Dr.  P.  went,  &c."  Could  you  suppose 
men  could  dare  thus  to  misrepresent  the  simple  fact,  aS  I  have  stated  it,  and 
which,  as  I  have  said,  they  heard  from  me,  more  than  once,  in  Miss  V.'s 
presence,  and  was  not  denied  by  her  ?  Where  on  earth,  except  from  these 
unblushing  falsifiei-s,  will  you  find  a  similar  misrepresentation ! 

But  this  is  not  all,  let  me  state  further. '  The  bargain  between  IMrs.  H. 
and  Miss  Vass  was  concluded,  I  think  on  Friday  afternoon.  On  Monday 
morning  Miss  V.  sent  for  me,  and,  greatly  excited,  said  she  would  not  forego 
the  interest  for  a  year,  that  she  had  been  told  it  was  not  a  good  bargain ; 
that  she  could  not  sleep  on  Saturday  night  because  of  it,  nor  was  she  able, 
because  of  the  worry  of  it,  to  go  to  church  on  Sunday,  and  that  she  must 
have  the  bargain  bi-oken  off".  1  reasoned  with  her  on  the  matter,  showed 
her  tliat  she  was  the  firet  to  mention  Mrs.  H.  to  me,  that  she  had  heartily 


I  I 


\  I 


20 


11  ■' 


;iii(l  fully  AMMcntHl  Ut  tlni  terms,  and  ttwit  it  wiu«  with  her  full  coiiciirroncu, 
and  ov«>n  at  licr  own  n'«|iH>)<t,  tliut  tho  Itar^rain  had  l)v«^n  <-()nii»l«t«d.  S\w 
would  not  liHtt'n  to  anytliin)^  I  t-ould  Hay.  Shit  wui*  inti'nttely  excited,  pacud 
her  room,  vinnferated  violt;ntly,  nn<l  nIio*  ed  all  the  indications  c»f  mental 
derangement,  Hyniptoms  with  which,  —  fioiii  a  weekly  vii*it  for  yearn,  at  an 
atiylum  in  the  States, —  I  waH  (luite  faiiiiUar,  no  that  I  feared  she  would 
a){nin,  !ii>  had  been  tlu«  case  In-funs  ahsol  .tely  lose  liur  reason.  I  did  nut 
know  what  to  do.  1  consultrul  Mr.  Ritchie,  I  asked  him  if  thent  was  nu 
way  hy  which  the  har^rain  could  he  broken  off,  he  Raid  there  was  not;  1 
then  asked  what  would  be  tlie  coiiwqueni-e,  if  Miss  V.  [)er»i8t(Hl  in  her  de- 
termination ;  he  showed  mc  she  would  be  eom|)elleil  to  adhere  to  her  bar- 
<rain,  and,  as  I  understood  him,  if  she  still  remained  refractory,  nn^rht  even 
be  imprisonetl. 

I  then  went  to  Mrs.  II.  an<l  scm,  told  them  how  Miss  V.  felt,  and  bcjrj^ed 
them  to  U't  her  off  from  her  cn^aj^cment.  Tlu'y  refused  to  do  this.  I 
dreaded  the  couse(iuenc(t  on  Miss  V.  She  had  been  a  kind  friend  to  mo ; 
I  could  not  bear  to  see  her  as  she  was,  and  as  I  I'eared,  slie  would  be ;  and  I 
(old  Mrs.  H.,  that  if  she  did  not  let  Miss  V.  oil'  from  the  bargain,  I  should 
have  to  pay  the  interest  mys«!lf  U)  Miss  V.,  rather  than  see  her  in  the  state 
in  which  she  was.  My  means  were  smiill,  it  would  be  a  p;reat  sacrifice  tor 
me  to  do  this,  yet,  hard  as  it  was  upon  me,  I  decided  to  do  it.  Out  of  my 
kind  feelinjrs  to  Miss  V.,  and  my  dread  of  th»^  consequences  to  her  mind  and 
bodily  health,  if  it  was  not  done,  I  made  the  arranj^ement,  and  debited  my- 
self with  that  sum.  Of  course,  wlicn  subsetmently  Miss  V^ass,  no  lonj^er  as 
a  friend,  recpiested  of  nu^  a  strict  accoimt  of  all  business  transaction,  —  as 
she  would  of  any  paid  ajient,  and  the  relation  between  us  had  become 
changed, —  1  blotted  out  tliat  charjrc  ii;j;ainst  myself;  and  who  will  say  I  did 
wron<^  V  and  ye/;  the  Church  Committee,  refused  to  allow  it  as  an  offset. 

In  this  same  letter  of  the  church  occurs  this  i)assa{^e,  "  a  will  was  drafted 
for  Miss  V.  which,  however,  she  never  signed,  in  which  her  two  new  brick 
houses,  worth  at  least  ^12,()()0,  the  nomination  to  a  classical  professorship, 
and  the  residue  of  all  her  estate,  were  devised  and  bequeathed  to  Dr.  P." 
Now  what  arc  the  facts  in  this  matter?  Miss  Vass  told  me  she  wanted  to 
make  a  will,  for  she  said  iis  her  property  was  the  Lord's,  she  wished  to 
devise  it  in  such  manner  as  shoulil  Itest  subserve  His  cause.  She  talked 
jibout  it  frequently,  and  always  herself  couuuenced  the  conversation  :  and 
she  rcfiucsted  me  to  <liaw  up  a  general  statement,  and  she  C(juld  then  decide 
upon  particulars.  Jhtt  she  tlistinclUj  stated,  that  the  houses  we  lived  in,  were 
not  to  he  mentioned  hij  me  in  the  will,  as  she  wished  them  to  he  devised,  without 
my  knoicinrj  to  whom  she  left  them. 

With  the  excci)tion  of  these  houses, — and  I  never  saAV  that  part  of  the  will, 
and  had  nothing  to  do  witii  it,  and  even  after  the  will  had  been  received  by 
her  from  Mr.  liitchie  completed,  and  she  gave  it  to  me  to  read,  she  placed  a 
paper  tver  that  part  of  it,  which  referred  to  the  houses,  in  order  that  I 
miglit  not  know  to  whom  she  would  leave  them  ;  leaving  the  houses  out,  —  1 
prejjarcd  the  statement  retjuested.  After  certain  legacies  to  her  relatives 
and  friends,  J  suggested  the  division  of  her  remaining  property,  to  our  vari- 
ous benevolent  openitions.  Home  Alission,  Foreign  Mission,  Ministerial  Aid, 
(iranville  Street  Church,  Sabbath  School,  Female  School  at  Ilorton,  &e. 
&i'.,  and  among  the  devises,  the  endowment  of  a  classical  professorship  at 
Acadia  College.  As  I  was  desirous  of  uniting  the  friends  in  Granville  Street 
Church  and  congregation  more  closely  with  the  College,  I  advised  that  Ihe 
nomination  to  that  professoi*ship,  should  be  in  the  ])astor  of  the  Gr.anville 
Street  Church  for  the  time  being,  and  the  appointment  to  be  made  in  con- 
currence with  the  Governors.  What  advantage  I  was  personally  to  gain 
fronj  this,  I  think  it  would  be  difficult  to  say.     I  cannot  see  any.     The  pro- 


■■•««««!WMM 


fvKuw  nf  that  chair,  hatl  Ihhmi  a|i|H»int«>(|  l»y  t\w.  (iovornorn,  nnd  wok  oooiiny 
in^  it,  iinil  iix  \w  wuh  a  f':ir  yoiiii^rt'r  iiiiiii  tlinn  myxoH*,  it  wan  not  nt  nil  pruba* 
lil«>  tliiit  th«>  riiiiniiiHtion  ^\(,llM  *'V(>r  t'oinc  into  my  linncU. 

With  rosjMM't  to  dli  «>8ulniir\  Nyarv.  I  have  only  to  Hiiy  that  Miw  V.  rei- 
<|iH'!<t»Ml,  ill  It.  in  ordt  I  m  i^nw  troulilc  to  h»ir  t'xcciitorH,  and  Jw  I  wan  Ih'mI 
a<M|tiaintu<l  wiMi  her  h«^nt'vipi  nt  wishes  and  iK'niirnx,  it'  tlu'  wliolu  cHtate  wen- 
not  I'xhanHtffl,  l,^  'hi'  previous  Icjiiri  «.  the  i-esidue  should  he  letl  to  mo  to 
earry  throngh  her  inl'  nfinnn.  I  have  no  copy  ot'  the  will.  I  make  my  Mtate- 
ment  only  from  memory,  Imt  I  think  it  will  he  found  perfectly  correct. 

With  refm-nce  to  the  eallin^r  of  a  council,  I  refer  my  rc.ulers  to  Jud({e 
•lohnstonV  pamphlet,  and  to  the  documents  published  in  that  [lainphlct.  as 
well  as  the  d(H-um<>nts  published  in  the  reply  by  the  (dnirch ;  and  in<iced,  I 
would  refer  any  thou^thtfid,  conciderate  ]MWon,  who  desireil  to  be  correctly 
informed,  to  tlit>se  documents,  as  amonjj  the  very  best  refutations  of  the 
fa!sehoo<ls  of  the  church,  upon  this,  and  various  other  subjects  referred  to; 
and  I  earnestly  bc'i  a  cart'fid  p<Tus.il  of  thest;  dtM'uments.  "  No  desire  was 
expressed  to  the  church  by  D.'.  1*..  ti»r  the  intervention  of  a  council,"  *'  in 
rejiard  to  <'alling  a  council  lie  (Dr.  1'.)  was  interposinj;  ohstacK's  to  prevent 
that  reinvestifiation."  •'  Church  — came  to  an  a<ireement  with  Dr.  I'rvor,  to 
acce|tt  his  own  deman<ls,"  when  in  reality  the  "  basis"  and  demands  were 
made  bv  the  church  and  not  by  me.  See  my  letters  pafje  .51  and  !')'2  in  the 
ajjpendix  of  the  "  rejdy  to  the  letter  of  Hon  J.  W.  .Tohnston." 

Speakinjr  of  the  exparte  (Jouncil  called  bv  the  (.'hurch,  they  say,  "  Dr. 
IVyor  woulil  not  ap|>ear;  and  this  Coimcil,  adhering;  to  the  principle  acted 
u|M)n  by  Festus,  informed  us  that  in  the  absence  of  the  accused,  they  would 
not  incpiire  into  the  truth  of  the  charries  brouj;ht  a<rainst  him."  This  is  not 
<inly  Festus'  principle,  but  it  is  the  principle  of  common  sense  and  conunon 
justice,  univei-sally  ,"V(!knowleil<red. 

And  I  wonder  the  Church  were  not  ashamed,  if  indeed  any  hone.st  shame 
remained  in  them,  to  refer,  even  reujotcly  an<l  incidentally,  to  this  princi[)le, 
which  they  had  so  amhuriously  violated,  when  they  examined  their  witnesses 
privately,  in  my  absence,  without  even  informiu};  me  who  they  were ;  and 
this,  too,  in  the  face  of  the  ])ositive  demands  made  ujH>n  them,  durin}^  this 
process,  by  Judjie  Johnson  and  myself,  that  such  unheard-of  violation  of 
every  principle  of  rij^ht  should  not  be  pei-severed  in,  but  tluit  1  should  be 
permitted  to  be  present,  and  meet  my  accustii-s  face  to  face.  No,  they  would 
not  permit  me  to  hear  and  (jucstitm,  as  tiiis  woultl  prevent  the  partial  record 
they  were  makin}^  a<;ainst  me,  wliich  they  were  accustomed  to  speak  of  as 
•'the  recorded  testimony."  The  ])lan  of  takin<j  that  testimony,  putting  down 
only  what  suited  their  evil  purpose,  and  omittiufj  the  rest,  I  have  alluded  to 
in  another  place.  Why,  dear  friends,  even  .afler  I  had  been  examined,  and 
without  liavin<jf  the  slicfhtest  idea  of  wliat  the  so-called  witnesses  had  testified 
against  me,  though  I  had  urged  tlit^  right  and  privilege  of  being  present  at 
their  examination,  and  had  bi'gged  Mr.  Selden  to  tell  me  who  they  were  and 
what  they  said,  which  he  pereunitorily  refused  to  do;  and  the  Committee 
had  used  their  utmost  ingenuity  ni  striving  to  entangle  me  into  a  contradict 
tion  of  some  of  the  witnesses,  and  to  an  assent  to  others, — 1  say,  even  afler 
this  reason  for  preventing  my  i)rescnce  no  longer  held  good,  I  was  not 
allowed  to  be  present.  And  though  a  solenui  promise  was  made  to  me  by- 
Mr  Selden,  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  that  1  should  have  the  opportu- 
nity of  being  present  at  the  examination  of  the  final  witness,  Mrs.  Maxner, 
yet,  in  violation  of  that  promise  thus  made  to  me,  the  last  witness  was  afler 
all  examined  in  my  absence,  without  giving  me  the  opportunity  of  being 
present.  I  should  not  have  spent  my  time  in  referring  again  to  this  matter 
were  it  not  for  some  circumstances  connected  with  it  which  have  been  used 
to  prejudice  my  case  with  the  public.     On  his  first  visit  to  Halifax,  while 


22 


staying  at  Dr.  Parker's,  and  receiving  from  him  what  purported  to  be  a  full 
and  truthful  account  of  matters  connected  with  my  suspension  from  the  ser- 
vices of  the  pulpit,  Dr.  Crawley  was  thus  questioned  by  Dr.  Parker :  "  Dr. 
Crawley,  what  w«)iild  you  think  of  one  who,  when  his  reputation  was  at 
xtake  and  a  witness  was  to  be  examined  on  the  subject,  refused  to  be  present 
at  the  examination  of  that  witness,  giving  as  his  excuse  that  he  had  to  attend 
a  meeting  of  the.Scllool  Commissioners  i  Woulu  you  prefer  to  be  present 
at  an  ordinary  meeting  of  business  rather  than  to  be  present  and  examine 
when  you  had  so  much  at  stake  ?  Yet  that  is  what  Dr.  Pryor  did.  He  was 
invited  and  requt-l«id  to  be  present  at  Mrs.  Maxner's  examination,  but  re- 
fused to  go,  under  the  above  plea."  If  Dr.  Parker  did  not  know  the  truth 
of  the  case  then,  he  ought  to  have  known  it.  But  he  has  not  even  that  lame 
excuse  now.  For  up  to  this  day,  though  long  since  he  was  informed  by  a 
member  of  the  Committee,  at  a  Church  meetmg  at  which  I  was  present,  of 
the  facts  in  the  case,  and  though  these  facts  are  now  patent  from  the 
"  Reply,"  yet  he  has  never  had  the  common  honesty — I  will  not  say  honor — 
of  statmg  to  Di'.  Crawley  that  his  statement  was  made  under  a  false  impres- 
sion ;  and  if  Dr.  C.  had  not  been  informed  from  other  sources,  more  reliable 
and  truthful,  of  the  falsehood  of  the  statements,  if  he  believed  Dr.  Parker, 
he  would  still  have  to  believe  that  falsehood. 

But  this  is  not  all  respecting  the  case.  Mr.  Binney,  an  aged  man  and  a 
member  of  the  Granville  Street  Churoh,  and  a  gentleman  for  whom  I  once 
entertained  a  high  respect,  while  conversing  on  the  matter  of  my  treatment 
by  the  Chureh,  with  tlie  Hon.  Mr.  Almon,  who  had  said  to  him  the  conduct  of 
the  Church  which  would  not  allow  Dr.  Pryor  to  be  present  at  the  examina- 
tion of  witnesses  was  unjustifiable,  replied,  "  Oh,  that  is  not  so.  Dr.  Pryor, 
so  far  from  being  hindered,  was  requested  and  was  urged  to  be  present  at  the 
examination  of  the  very  first  witness,  Mi-s.  Maxner,  and  positively  refused." 
Mr.  Almon  stated  tliis  to  me.  In  the  full  confidence  that,  as  soon  as  inform- 
ed of  its  incorrectness,  Mr.  Binney  would  at  once  retract  his,  what  I 
then  believed  to  be,  imintentional  misstatement,  I  went  to'  his  house.  I 
asked  him  from  whom  he  received  liis  information.  Mr.  Binney  is  Dr. 
Parker's  brother-in-law.  He  refused  to  tell  m**  I  then  gave  him  the  true 
account,  referred  him  to  Mr.  Kand,  one  of  the  Committee,  and  begged  him 
at  once  to  retract  his  statement  to  Mr.  Almon.  I  had  a  right  to  expect  this 
from  a  gentleman,  much  more  from  a  professed  christian.  What  did  Mr. 
Binney  do  ?  He  sometime  afterwards  said  to  Mr.  Almon,  "  I  was  mistaken 
in  saying  Mrs.  Maxner  was  tlie  first  witness,  she  was  not  the  first."  He  said 
not  one  word  more,  made  no  retraction  of  the  important  part  of  his  former 
false  statement !  and  as  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Crawley,  so  in  Mr.  Almon's  case, 
if  he  had  not  been  informed  from  other  sources,  more  reliable  and  truthful, 
of  the  falsehood  of  the  statement,  if  he  believed  Mr.  Binney,  he  would  still 
have  to  believe  that  falsehood ;  for  Mr.  Binney  has  never  retracted  it.  And 
would  it  be  contrary  to  our  Saviour's  rule,  '•  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them,  a  bad  tree  cannot  bring  fortli  good  fruit,"  would  it  be  contrary  to 
christian  charity,  to  surmise  thai  what  Dr.  Parker  told  to  Dr.  Crawley,  and 
by-the-by,  this  was  only  one  of  his  misstatements  to  him,  and  what  Mr.  Bin- 
ney told  to  Mr.  AInion,  they  may  have  told  to  othbrs,  and  those  others,  not 
having  the  means  of  arriving  at  the  truth,  that  Dr.  C.  and  Mr.  A.  possessed, 
may  still  be  believing  in  the  misstatement.  I  make  no  comments  upon 
these  men  and  th(!ir  conduct,  f  have  confined  myself,  as  far  as  possible,  to 
facts.  I  once  regarded  them  as  gentlemen  and  christians.  They  are  mem- 
bere  of  Granville  Street  Church.  You  can  judge,  liowever,  dear  friends, 
of  the  kind  of  pei-sons  and  influencas,  I  have  had  to  meet,  in  the  present 
matter.  As  to  another  charge  which  (Jranville  Street  Church  has  brought 
me,  a  brief  answer  will   suffice.      I  was   willing  that  the  mat- 


against 


MMn 


ter  should  be  thoroughly  examined,  and  my  friends,  acting  with  me  before 
the  Council,  distinct!}'  courted  the  investigation.  They,  it  is  true,  felt  the 
injustice  and  impropriety  of  gathering  up  insinuations  after  the  lapse  of 
thirty  years;  ana  respect  for  the  dead,  and  consideration  for  the  living, 
made  me  naturally  unwilling  to  have  the  name  of  one,  who  is  now  without 
doubt,  among  the  redetined  in  Heaven,  associated  with  such  scandal,  as  the 
managers  of  this  prosecution  might  bring  forward.  Still  m  the  conscious- 
ness of  my  own  innocence  I  challenged  enquiry,  while  deprecating  it  for  the 
sake  of  others ;  and,  as  the  Granville  Street  Church  well  knows,  it  was  not 
my  fault  that  the  charge  was  not  fully  investigated ;  but  that  investigation 
was  only  prevented  by  the  act  of  the  Council,, who,  after  long  debate,  decid- 
ed that  this  matter  should  not  be  brought  in  any  way  before  them. 

The  attempt  of  the  Church  to  bring  before  the  public  this  matter, 
and  to  induce  an  investigation  into  circumstances  that  had  long  passed 
away,  and  that  could  not  be  discussed  without  bringing  forward  honored 
names,  was  evidence  of  a  malignity,  which  was  unsustained  by  justice  or  by 
«ielicacy.  It  is  suflicicnt  for  me  to  sav,  that  I  am  innocent  of  all  the  im- 
putations and  insinuations,  got  up  against  me  in  this  case. 

I  have  thus  selected  and  answered  some  of  the  slanderous  misrepresenta- 
tions and  deliberate  falsehoods,  uttered  and  published  by  the  Granville 
Street  Church,  and  my  communication,  is  protracted  far  beyond  my  desire 
and  my  intention,  when  I  first  sat  down  to  write.  Time  would  fail  me,  to 
attempt  an  answer  to  the  whole  tissue,  one  by  one.  Ex  uno  disce  omnes. 
But  I  cannot  forbear  presenting  one  more  case,  which  looms  up  even  above 
others  in  the  church's  6th  letter.  Allusion  is  made  to  Mr.  Paysant.  The 
words  to  which  1  refer  are  these,  "  He  (Dr.  C.)  quotes  from  a  letter  of  Mr. 
J.  Paysant,  to  Rev.  G.  M.  Saunders,  in  support  of  this  charge,  viz  :  —  "  that 
Dr.  P.  was  unjustly  condemned,"  and  states  that  Mr.  Paysant,  was  forced 
away  from  the  cijurch,  by  his  sense  of  our  injustice  to  Dr.  P.  If  Dr.  C. 
means  that  Mr.  Paysant  felt  compelled  to  leave  us,  because  he  believed  we 
had  cond.aied  an  innocent  man,  we  must  do  Mr.  Paysant  the  justice  to  cor- 
rect Dr.  Crawley's  misrepresentations.  Here  are  Mr.  Paysant's  words." 
They  are  given  in  italics  in  the  church's  letter.  '•  Whether  these  charges 
are  true  or  false,  is  foreign  to  the  purport  of  this  letter,  and  remotely,  if  in 
any  way  connect(!il  with  my  act  of  separation." 

If  any  of  you  have  the  pamphlet  of  Mr  "Paysant,  and  will  turn  to  it. 
you  will  see  how  shamelessly  these  men  have  garbled  the  passage,  and  made 
it  mean  just  what  it  did  not  mean.  But  as  many  of  you  may  not  possess  the 
pamphlet,  I  will  (juote  the  whole  passage,  and  you  will  then  be  able  cor- 
rectly to  judge  whether,  what  Dr.  C.  stated  is  as  the  church  calls  it  a  "mis- 
representation," or,  whether  it  is  not  one  of  the  multitudes  of  misrepresenta- 
tion of  the  Irranville  Street  Church.     Mr.  Paysant's  words  are :  — 

"  It  is  unnecessary  that  I  should  here  go  in  detail  into  the  merits  of  the 
charges  made  by  your  Church  against  Dr.  Piyor,  their  late  Pastor.  Whether 
those  cha*;.vcs  were  true  or  false  is  foreign  to  the  purport  of  this  letter,  and 
remotely  if  la  any  wise  connected  with  my  act  of  separation.  Let  me  only 
say  here,  that  from  an  early  stage  of  the  proceedings  which  led  to  his  exclu- 
sion from  the  Church,  I  have  had  the  deepest  conviction  of  his  innocence  and 
moral  rectitude ;  and,  therefore,  hold  that  the  act  of  exclusion  was  wrong, 
unwarranted  hy  the  facts,  and  subversive  of  that  respect  and  control  in  a 
community  which  a  church  of  our  Lord  should  possess.  Loudly,  however, 
as  I  do  protest  against  an  act  so  unwarrantable  as  this,  I  feel  how  tenderly 
the  covering  of  that  charity  "  that  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind,"  should  be 
spread  over  the  acts  of  an  erring  church,  where  the  error  has  been  that  of 
the  understanding  and  not  of  the  heart.  Had  forbearance,  honesty,  and  a 
Christian  and  sorrowing  spirit  stamped  this  act  with  their  own  holy  impress, 


24 


I 


I  should  have  been  impatient,  't  in  true,  of  the  violence  done  to  my  feelings 
and  reason,  but  would  have  bowed  to  the  decision  of  the  brethren. 

"  But  1  look  in  vain  for  any  such  heavenly  marks  of  discipline  as  these  in 
Dr.  Pryor's  exclusion.  As  I  now  review  its  character  step  by  step,  as  I  call 
to  mind  the  hasty  action,  the  reckless  manner  of  receiving  evidence,  the 
rejection  of  wise  and  considerate  advice,  the  personal  treatment  of  Dr. 
Pryor,  the  sneer,  the  rebuff',  the  eagerness  to  clutch  at  every  trifle  against 
him,  and  the  disingenuous  evasion  of  facts  that  told  in  his  favor,  the  rejection 
of  overtures  for  calling  a  Church  Council,  and  the  rejection  of  that  Council's 
decision  when  called,  I  declare  I  tremble  for  the  condition  of  men  so  deaf 
alike  to  the  voice  of  reason,  humanity,  and  religion.  If  such  strange  con- 
duct had  been  the  sudden  outburst  of  a  moment,  or  of  a  few  days,  I  knew 
that  reflection  and  prayer  would  have  restored  the  better  mind ;  but  when 
through  those  weary  weeks  of  wrangling  and  bad  temper,  I  found  the  evil, 
instead  of  abating,  outgrowing  all  restramt,  I  felt  that  here  and  now  Christ- 
ian charity  should  pause  before  other  and  sterner  duties.  Though  I  know  I 
must  have  been  somewhat  influenced  by  the  factious  spirit  and  anger  of  the 
hour,  I  have  had  frequent  occasion  since  I  ceased  to  enter  the  portals  of  the 
church,  calmly  to  review  the  whole  matter.  I  have  tried  to  examine  its 
every  phase  by  the  light  of  reason  and  religion.  I  have  asked  myself  wheth- 
er that  conduct  could  be  explicable  on  any  other  ground  than  that  of  a  bad 
mind  and  heart.  I  have  watched  narrowly  the  later  developments  of  the 
evil  in  the  unmanly  attitude  the  Messenger  has  assumed,  in  the  vile  slanders 
that  even  now  are  retailed  at  the  corners  of  the  streets  in  this  city,  against 
Dr.  Pryor,  and  in  the  unflaggmg  effort  to  crush  him  forever — from  all  which 
I  feel  the  more  thoroughly  convinced  how  impossible  was  any  continuance 
of  fellowship  in  the  past,  and  how  futile,  if  not  wrong,  any  hope  frr  its  re- 
newal in  the  future. 

"  Though  the  subject  is  of  a  character  too  painful  to  be  thus  adverted  to 
without  extreme  reluctance,  I  should  be  wanting  in  a  proper  respect  for 
myself,  my  judgment  and  my  religion,  if  I  allowed  any  consideration  to  in- 
fluence me  in  concealing  or  palliating  the  final  and  conclusive  nature  of  my 
cause  for  separation  from  the  church." 

A  church  which  would  be  guilty  of  one  such  shameful  act  of  missrepresen- 
tation  is  surely  unworthy  of  being  regarded  as  a  body  of  Christians,  the 
followers  of  Him  who  is  Himself  the  Truth,  and  requires  truth  of  all  his  fol- 
lowers, and  has  forfeited  all  claim  to  be  treated  as  a  church  of  Christ,  "  and 
its  disciplinary  action  as  valid  on  any  ground  either  of  courtesy  or  denomi- 
uationaf  usage." 

But  enough.  I  fear  I  have  wearied  you,  dear  friends,  but  I  assure  you, 
that  among  the  griefs  I  have  had  to  bear,  few  have  been  sadder,  than  the 
ingratitude  of  those  for  whom  1  have  labored  in  the  gospel,  whom  I  have 
sought  to  instruct  in  the  truth,  for  whom  and  with  whom  I  have  prayt'l,  for 
the  benefit  of  whose  families  and  children  I  have  spared  no  efforts,  for  whom 
I  would  have  laid  down  my  life.  That  these  persons  should  have  treated  me 
as  they  have  done,  has  been  a  bitter  ingredient  in  ray  cup  of  suffering.  He 
who  leads  God's  people  I  know  must  be  himself  watchful ;  but,  after  all  his 
care  and  vigilance,  he  needs  the  ever-sustaining  charity  of  his  people. 
Surely  none  of  them  will  pretend  that  1  have  received  this  confiding  sympa- 
thy, this  sustaining  charity,  this  helpful  trust,  from  the  members  of  the 
Granville  Street  Church. 

When  I  called  them  together,  when  I  stated  truthfully  all  that  has  oc- 
curred, when  I  begged  them  to  investigate  all  the  rumors,  I  certainly  had  a 
right  to  believe  that  my  church  would  look  into  the  case  with  friendly  feel- 
ings and  with  a  charitable  judgment.  But,  alas !  I  soon  found  that  they 
themselves,  instead   of  being   imjuirers   into  thcj   truth,  became   my  worst 


25 


calumniators  and  slanderers,  and  spreaders  of  evil  reports,  mere  partizans, 
tletermined  tc  prove  me  guilty,  if  by  any  perversion  of  the  truth  this  could 
be  effected.  No  language  of  mine  can  convey  an  Idea  of  the  nature  of  the 
({uestions  put  to  me  by  members  of  the  Committee.  Many  of  the  questions 
too  gross  to  be  put  upon  paper,  or  even  to  be  repeated,  and  some  of  them 
impertinent  beyond  expression,  addressed  as  they  were,  to  him,  who  was  then 
their  pastor,  by  those  who  had  been  boys  under  his  tuition. 

In  my  labors  among  this  peo])le,  as  their  pastor,  I  never  spared  my 
strength,  nor  relaxed  my  eHcrts  for  the  benefit  of  them  and  their  families ; 
of  the  return  made  me.  you  are  now  able  to  judge ;  and  you  can  see,  how 
far  removed  it  is,  from  tiie  charity  and  sympatiiy  which  I  was  entitled  to  ex- 
pect at  their  hands. 

Allow  me  to  sum  up  a  few  particulars.     Investigation  of  the  rumors  in 
circulation   I  earnestly  solicited,  —  and  the  church  who  shouhl  have  sus- 
tained nie  with  their  sympathy,  became  my  woi'st  caltunniators.     Without 
inquiry,  they  at  once  set  uie  asiilc  from  the  pulpit,  and  allowed  no  oppor- 
tunity of  a  public  addressT.  hy  which  I  might  have  disabused  the  minds  of 
the  congregation,  and  the  public,  though  I  cited  well  known  cases  wl\cre  min- 
istei"s  of  the  Gospel,  accused  on  j)roof  seemingly  far  stronger,  had  been  sus- 
tained in  their  position  pending  examination  of  their  conduct.     They  re- 
fused me  the  liberty  of  seeing  face  to  face  the  witnesses  they  examined,  or 
even  to  give  me  their  names,  or  the  points  to  which  they  professed  to  testify  ; 
and  when  they  had  possessed  themselves  of  statements  of  which  I  had  heard 
nothing,  they  sought  to  entrap  me  by  submitting  me  to  examination,  on  the 
ground  of  these  very  statements,  of  the  nature  of  which,  they  kept  me  in 
Ignorance,  eagerly  noting  down  everything  that  might  be  tortured  into  a 
seeming  contradiction,  and  omitting  everything  that  appeared  favorable. 
Witnesses  whose  statements  might  sceiu  disadvantageous  were  brouglit  for- 
ward ;  those  whose  testimony  was  favorable,  were  put  aside.     At  the  Central 
Association,  many  of  you  saw  the  passion  and  daring  pervei-sion  of  facts  in 
relation  to  the  calling  of  a  Council,  which  marked  tlie  hostility  against  me 
that  pervailed  in  this  chureh.     Tlie  same  hostility  is  seen  in  their  entire  con- 
duct with  regard  to  the  calling,  and  the  decisions,  of  the  Council  eventual- 
ly held  at  Halifax,  —  in  their  disingenuous  evasion  of  the  fact,  that  they  had 
accepted  that  Council,  .as  a  tribunal  to  decide  the  matters  submitted  to 
them; — in  the  disgraceful  tone,  the  unparalleled  effrontery,  the  untruths, 
and  gross  misstatements  and  misrepresentations,  of  the  so  called  reply  to 
Juii^e  .lohnston's  letter  ;  in  the  shameless  utterances  placed  by  them  in  the 
pages  of  the  Christian  Messenger ;  and  in  the  exclusion  by  that  journal,  —  con- 
curred in  no  doubt,  or  sought  by  them,  — of  any  answer  to  those  gross  fabrica- 
tions, which  they,  or  those  they  employed,  had  published  in  its  pages ;  and  in  the 
rancorous  spirit  and  personal  enmity,  shown  by  that  periodical  in  relation  to 
this  whole  case  ;  the  editor  being  an  active  deacon  of  the  church,  and  foremost 
in  everything  that  bore  on  me  harshly  and  unjustly ;  —  it  is  seen  in  the  in- 
numerable reports,  eagerly  seized  and  circulated,  which,  one  after  the  other, 
they  were  compelled  unwillingly  to  abandon  as  groundless,  and  in  the  zeal 
with  which  the  boldest  assertions  were  made,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  destroy 
my  fair  repstation  at  Cambridge  and  elsewhere  ;  to  the  sheer  wickedness  of 
which  they  have  given  no  other  answer,  than  that  it  was  not  done  in  solemn 
church  meeting,  thoun;h  done  by  a  member,  or  members  of  their  body.     It  i8 
seen  in  the  zeal  witn  which  their  partizans  overrun  the  country,  detailing 
the  most  false  and  shameful  misre{iresentations,  and  m  the  wanton  wicked- 
ness and  intense  eagerness  with  which,  to  this  hour,  they  labor  to  injure  me, 
by  industriously  circulating  in  foreign  countries,  as  well  as  the  provinces, 
their  false  and  slanderous  publications,  —  forcintj  their  disgraceful  and  lying 
prints  into  the  hands  even,  of  my  wife  and  children !  And  if  (o  all  these 


96 


ttieir  public  doings,  I  should  add  the  innumerable  hoiitile  acts,  and  spiteful 
assertions,  and  gross  fabrications,  of  various  individuals  amon^  them,  —  dea- 
cons and  members  —  you  could  hardly  give  credit  to  the  existence  of  such 
deep  depravity,  in  men  belonging  to  the  lowest  dr«g8  of  so(*ibty,  not  to  sav 
the  members  of  a  professed  church  of  Christ.  None  but  He  who  knowetK 
all  things,  can  knovr  what  these  men,  by  their  wicked  falsehoods,  have  made 
me  to  suffer,  not  in  my  own  person  only,  but  in  the  bosom  of  my  family, 
lacerating  and  agonizing  the  tenderest  feelings,  and  stabbing  to  the  very 
heart,  my  dear  wife  —  my  children  —  my  friends  —  my  relatives! 

But  I  forbear,  —  in  pouring  forth  my  heart  before  you,  my  dear  brethren, 
you  will  excuse  me  if  I  seem  to  have  used  hard  terms,  —  I  must  cease  to  be 
a  man,  if  I  could  repress  these  utterances ;  impulsive  as  is  my  natural  tem- 
perament, still  I  have  tried  to  chasten  and  correct  all  improper  feelings 
against  these  men.  I  pray  that  God  would  give  them  repentance  and  a 
changed  heart,  but  I  cannot  be  blind  to  their  wickedness,  nor  callous  to 
their  keen  malevolence.  « 

For  the  deadly  injuries  they  have  inflicted  upon  me  they  never  can  make 
reparation ;  but  I  thank  my  God  He  has  not  left  me  without  consolation. 
Amid  the  overwhelming  despondency  and  sorrow  of  many  weary  months 
gone  by,  there  are  precious  memories  that  have  supported  me.     I  thank  my 
God  that  in  early  life  I  was  led,  by  His  sovereign  mercy,  to  give  my  heart  to 
Him ;  that  as  His  child  He  has  led  me,  and  will  still  lead  me,  even  unto  the 
end ;  and  that  although  in  the  retrospect  of  my  past  life  there  is  much  to  fill 
me  with  self-abasement  and  sorrow  before  God,  and  to  call  forth  the  ac- 
knowledgment that  I  have  been  but  an  unprofitable  servant,  still,  as  regards 
man,  therA  is  no  one  on  earth  whom  I  cannot  look  in  the  face  without  Miame 
or  shrinking.     I  thank  Him  for  my  early  consecration  to  His  service,  and  tor 
the  desire  He  gave  me  to  undertake  any  work  or  make  any  sacrifice  tor 
conscience'  sake.     I  thank  Him  for  well  remembered  and  most  cheering 
scenes  of  fellowship  with  Him  and  with  His  people,  and  for  much  spiritual 
prosperity  that  was  permitted  to  attend  my  labors.     I  thank  Him  for  the 
multitudes,  some  in  heaven,  some  still  on  earth,  who  were  permitted  to  find 
salvation  through  me  as  His  instrument,  and  who  showing  by  their  lives  the 
power  of  godliness,  greet  me   everywhere  as  that  instrument ;  —  for  the 
many  precious  souls  in  Wolfville,  in  Gaspereaux,  in  New  Minas,  in  Canaan, 
in  Cornwallis,  among  whom  for  twenty  years  I  labored  in  word  and  doctrine, 
who  can  bear  witness  to  the  consecration  of  my  heart,  my  strength,  my 
means,  to  their  spiritual  benefit,  and  to  the  purity  of  my  life  among  them, 
so  that  in  all  holiness  and  godly  sincerity,  I  ceased  not  in  the  public  services 
of  the  church,  in  the  prayer  and  conference  meetings,  and  from  house  to 
house  to  testify  among  them,  as  I  had  opportunity,  the  '^  manifold  grace  of 
God."     Nor  is  it  the  least  cheering  recollection,  that,  amidst  the  results  of 
those  labors,  I  now  recognize,  besides  so  many  others,  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel in  these  Provinces,  in  the  United  States,  and  in  distant  heathen  lands. 

Nor  ought  I  to  omit  to  mention,  that  it  is  with  great  satisfaction  and  thank- 
fulness, that;  I  look  back  on  my  labors  among  you,  dear  brethren.  In  the 
cause  of  education,  and  can  justly  claim  a  share  m  the  promotion  of  that  in- 
crease and  elevation  as  a  people,  which  is  now  the  ground  of  our  boast  and 
our  {iratitude.  I  reflect  with  thankfulness,  on  the  great  growth  of  the  Bap- 
tist people  in  these  Provinces,  in  intelligence,  and  power  of  usefulness,  and 
remember  how  largely  the  Lord  permitted  me  to  partake  in  this  good  work. 
I  thank  God  for  my  best  days  devoted  to  our  Institutions  at  Horton,  and  for 
the  measure  of  patience  with  which  He  enabled  me  to  endure  the  disap- 
pointments, deprivakions  and  sacrifices,  of  our  earlier  struggles  against  op- 
position and  want,  and  that  He  permitted  me  to  see  our  small  beginning,  in 
the  old  tenement  on  the  roadside,  in  which  I  labored  from  nearly  the  first 


ml 


8T 


nd  spiteful 
em,  —  dea- 
ice  of  such 
not  to  sav 
o  knoweth 
have  made 
my  family, 
>  the  very 

r  brethren, 
lease  to  be 
itural  tem- 
«r  feelings 
kDce  and  a 
callous  to 

can  mnke 
lohsolation. 
try  months 
thank  my 
ay  heart  to 
n  unto  the 
auch  to  fill 
rth  the  ac- 
as  regards 
lout  shame 
ice,  and  tor 
acrifice  tor 
t  cheerinff 
h  spirituu 
im  for  the 
ed  to  find 
r  lives  the 
—  for  the 
I  Canaan, 
doctrine, 
sngth,  my 
ong  them, 
Ic  services 
house  to 
grace  of 
Ireaults  of 
the  gos- 
lands. 
ind  tbank- 
,  in  the 
If  that  in- 
last  and 
Ithe  Bap- 
|nesa,  and 
work. 
,  and  for 
iB  disap- 
jnat  op- 
ining, in 
Ithe  first 


movement,  to  grow  into  the  reputable  Academy  and  College,  that  you  now 
possess.  It  is  most  pleasant  now,  to  remember  the  success  and  growth  of  the 
College  years  ago, — notwithstanding  its  pecuniary  difficulties,  —  and  the 
christian  harmony  that  ruled  among  us,  when  the  lamented  Prof.  Isaac 
Chipman,  Dr.  Crawley  and  myself,  were  united  in  its  instruction  and  man- 
agement for  many  years,  during  which  no  shade  of  difference,  even  for  a 
moment,  ever  disturbed  our  brotherly  attuchuient,  or  interrupted  our  united 
labors ;  when  we  -saw  the  ranks  of  our  pupils  in  the  College,  even  at  that 
early  day,  often  filling  up  to  the  measure  even  of  the  ])resent  numbers,  and 
the  countrjf  rapidly  becoming  occupied  by  students  from  the  College  or 
Academy,  m  the  various  professions,  while  the  entire  tone  of  feeling  on  the 
subject  of  education,  was  changed  and  reformed.  It  cannot  justly  be  ques- 
tioned that  previous  to  the  year  1850,  and  the  acquirement  of  our  endow- 
ment fund,  a  large  amount  ot  the  labor  was  performed,  and  most  of  the  pri- 
vations and  sacrifices  endured,  on  which  the  subsequent  growth  and  present 
success  of  our  institutions,  have  been  founded,  and  I  have  reason  to  be 
grateful  for  the  share  I  wa^  permitted  tu  take  Ijoth  in  the  suffering  and  the 
success. 

Among  such  remembrances  as  these,  I  find  some  Oi  my  rewards,  and  precious 
indeed  to  me  is  the  retrospect.  There  are  balmy  breezes  and  sweet  sounds 
that  come  along  the  intervening  years.  They  are  dear  memories  to  me  now, 
and  greatly  have  they  relieved  —  by  God's  goodness  —  the  despondency 
and  sorrow  that  have  often  lately  threatened  to  overwhelm  me. 

But  in  the  midst  of  the  crushing  griefs,  these  cruel  and  unjust  men  have 
occasioned  nie :  when  I  have  seen  the  hearts  of  my  dearest  relatives  bleed- 
ing, have  witnessed  the  agony  of  my  beloved  wife,  the  chosen  one  of  my 
youth,  the  dear  partner  of  my  joys  and  sorrows,  and  my  fellow  laborer  in 
the  Gospel,  to  whom,  as  she  well  knows  and  testifies,  not  for  one  moment, 
even  in  thought,  have  I  been  faithless ;  in  the  midst  of  these  sorrows,  even 
when  my  heart  has  almost  buret, —  I  have  not  ceased  daily  to  pray  that  God 
would  of  His  great  mercy,  give  these  n\y  slanderers  and  persecutors  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  sin,  and  rei)entanoe  unto  salvation,  lest  they  be  found  in  the 
end  to  be  lost  souls. 

And  when,  as  I  iiave  said,  I  look  back  on  the  past,  and  see  myself  in 
memory  "  surrounded  by  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,"  how,  I  ask  myself, 
shall  not  the  voices  of  tliis  nuiltitude  of  true  men,  di'own  the  voices  of 
malevolence  and  lies. 

I  turn  to  you,  dear  friends,  wliom  I  seem  to  see  ai'ound  Lie,  who  have 
"  known  my  manner  of  life  from  my  youth  up,  who  have  had  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  me  in  the  different  fields  of  njy  gospel  labor,  where  for 
so  many  yeai-s,  I  toiled  among  you,  as  an  instructor  of  the  young  —  a  teach- 
er in  your  Sabbath  Schools  —  a  j)reaclier  of  righteousness  —  the  Pastor  of 
a  beloved  flock — I  turn  to  you,  and  now  call  on  you  to  witness,"  how  holily  and 
unblameably  I  have  lived  among  you,  liow  I  never  spared  myself,  my  time, 
my  talent*!,  my  worldly  means,  if  I  could  benefit  you,  and  advance  the  cause 
ot  my  blessed  blaster,  liow  I  liavt'  warned  and  exhorted  you  with  all  dili- 
gence and  faithfuliHss,  young  and  old,  men  anci  women,  —  the  aged  as 
mothei-s,  the -younger  as  sisters,  iliat  you  should  "  walk  unblamably  in  the 
Lord." 

I  call  on  all  oin-  bretluen  througiiout  these  Provinces,  where  are  so  many 
that  now  reap  the  benefit  of  my  laboi-s.  I  call  on  you  to  bear  witness  to  my 
exertions  for  your  various  interests  as  a  denomination,  —  in  your  Academy 
at  \VolfVine,--as  joint  iiead  of  the  College,  together  with  the  ijrethren  I 
have  named,  —  aiul  afterwards  as  its  fii-st  Pre:  ident,  —  and  in  various  other 
educational  as  well  as  missionary  undertakings,  in  connection  witli  vener- 
aljle  ministei-s,  who  have  gone  to  their  rest,  ami  who  loved  me  as  a  dear  sou, 


28 


as  well  as  others  still  living  among  us,  in  all  those  labors  and  sacrifices  to 
which  you  are  indebted  for  the  highly  improved  condition  you  now  hold  in 
these  rrovinces. 

As  witnesses  to  my  character  as  a  Christian  and  a  Pastor,  I  call  on  the 
dear  people  of  my  former  charge  in  Cambridge,  who  have  already  borne 
kind  and  faithful  testimony,  wlueh  many  of  you  have  seen,  and  who  have 
unanimously,  and  most  afl'ectionately  received  me  again  into  tiieir  mem- 
bership tand  communion,  and  to  whose  testimony  I  may  unite  the  unani- 
mous expression  of  confidence  in  my  Cliristian  character,  and  acceptance  of 
the  acfjuittal  passed  in  my  favor,  by  the  Council  held  in  Halifax  last  sum- 
mer, given  by  a  number  of  ministers  of  the  highest  respectability  and  worth 
in  Boston  and  its  vicinity,  which  tostinjony  as  well  as  that  of  the  Cambridge 
church,  may  be  seen  in  a  note  hereto  appended. 

And  now,  dear  friends,  J  trust  you  will  believe  me  when,  in  the  presence  of 
the  great  God,  before  whom  I  must  soon  apjjcar  as  my  judge,  and  with  Ilim 
as  my  witness,  I  do  solemnly  declare,  that  neither  in  thought  or  deed,  have  I 
been  guilty  of  the  sin  and  crimes  laid  to  my  charge,  by  the  Granville  Street 
Church ;  but  that  I  have  ever  endeavored,  to  walk  before  my  God  in  truth, 
purity,  and  holiness,  among  them  as  amongst  all  othei-s,  and  to  cultivate  a 
conscience  void  of  ofl'ence  towards  God  and  towards  all  men,  —  Oh  God 
Thou  knowest ! 


Truly  and  affectionately  youi-s,  in  Christ  Jesus, 


J.  P. 


^ 


in 


APPENDIX. 


I  made  nppliciitioii  by  letter  to  tlic  Old  Cainbridge  Baptist  Church  for  adniis* 
sion  to  mcmbcrsliip  December  I'J,  18C7. 

The  Church  felt  unal)lc  to  act  upon  this  ai)i)lication,  for  want  of  jn'oper  docu- 
mentary evidence,  and  believed  tluit  any  ])recipitate  resolution  to  admit  me  to 
membership,  even  if  the  action  should  be  rij;ht  in  itself,  would  deprive  the  matter 
of  proper  moral  support.  The  subject  was  therefon;  given  to  a  committee,  to  i)ro- 
cure  evidence  and  pursue  such  course  as  should  eunble  the  Church  to  pass  rightly 
upon  the  question. 

Tlie  committee  (;orrespondcd  with  Rev.  W.  McKenzie  one  of  the  clerks  of  the 
Council ;  examined  the  correspondence  between  the  Granville  Church  atid  myself, 
together  with  the  decision  of  the  Council  and  the  final  decision  of  the  Church : 
and  then  arranged  to  invite  several  of  the  leading  clergymen  of  our  denomina- 
tion, in  that  vicinity,  to  meet  with  the  Conmiittee,  and  some  of  the  other  brethren 
of  the  Church,  to  advise  what  course  ought  to  be  pursued  in  relation  to  my  appli- 
cation for  admission. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  1868,  most  of  the  clergymen  who  had  been  invited, 
met  the  Pastor,  the  Standing  Committee,  the  Clerk  and  several  brethren  of  the 
Church.  Letters  were  also  received  from  some  who  had  been  invited,  expressing 
regret  at  necessary  absence,  and  the  most  cordial  good  feeling  towards  myself. 
After  the  reading  of  the  decision  of  the  Mutual  Council,  the  examination  of  docu- 
ments, and  a  free  interchange  of  views,  the  following  resolution  among  others 
was  passed :  — 

Resolved,  That  the  Old  Cambridge  Baptist  Church  be  advised  to  receive  Dr.  Pryor 
to  membership  on  the  finding  of  the  Halifax  Council. 

The  conference  was  then  dissolved,  after  which  the  accompanying  expression  of 
opinion,  was  unanimously  adopted  by  the  ministering  brethren  present,  to  which 
some  others  subsequently  added  their  names,  and  bears  the  signature  of  them  all. 

The  following  resolutions  embody  the  sentiments  of  a  conference  of  ministers 
whose  signatures  are  appended,  in  reply  to  a  subject  presented  before  them  for 
their  advice  by  the  Baptist  Church  in  Old  Cambridge :  — 

In  view  of  the  facts  now  presented  for  our  consideration,  we,  the  undersigned, 
are  clearly  of  opinion, 

I.  That  we  have  no  occasion  to  go  behind  the  decision  of  the  Mutual  Council, 
which  unanimously  acquitted  the  llev.  Dr.  Pryor  of  all  criminality  in  either  act  or 
intent ;  and  thus  put  him  before  the  public  as  a  man  unjustly  censured  by  the 
Granville  Street  Baptist  Church. 

II.  That  the  repudiation  by  said  Church,  of  the  finding  of  that  Council,  in 
flagrant  violation  of  an  implied  promise  to  abide  by  its  finding,  together  with 
their  subsequent  proceedings,  manifestly  unwarranted  and  vindicative,  completely 
absolves  all  other  Baptist  Churches,  from  obligation  to  respect  their  disciplinary 
action  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Pryor,  as  valid  on  any  ground,  either  of  courtesy  or 
denominational  usage. 


30 


III.  TJiat  Hr.  Tryor,  thnn>:Ii  fcniporarily  siitrcrinfr  in  rcpntntifm,  h«.«  romv  nut 
of  a  harsh  oidcal,  witli  imiin|iain'(l  chiistiaii  and  iiiinisti'rial  characlor,  and  is  still 
as  worthy  as  ever  of  nnivorsal  i-onfidi'ntf  and  csti'cni. 

IV',  That  shonld  any  irf^nhir  Itaptist  C'lnircii  n-ccivc  Dr.  rryorinto  their  fel- 
lowship we  eoiild  del'eiid  their  lu'tioii  as  every  way  ri;;hteous  and  lionoraltie. 

IiARO>  Stow,  1).  1),,  Late  pastor  of  Ifowe  St.  Chtireli,  Boston. 
lioi.MN  H.  Nkam:,   I).  1).,  I'astur  of  1st  liaptist  C'hnreh,  Boston, 

"      Brookline. 


William  Lamsox,  I),  D., 
SuMNEU  H.  Mason,  I).  !>., 
Danikl  C  Kddv.  n.  D., 

(r.    VV,    (jAKDNEn.   1).    ])., 

William  Mowk. 

C.    W.   ASNABLI.,  D.   1)., 

W.    V.    (lAKNEIt, 

W.    II.    S,    VENTRE3S, 

J,  D.  Fulton, 


"  "       Canihrid}fc, 

Canton  St.  Baptirt  CUnireli,  Boston. 
1st  Baptist  (Jiuireli,  Charlestown, 
Broaflway  Clnireh,  Canihridy;e. 
Olil  Camlirid^ro,  Baptist  Clnirch. 
diaries  St.  Bai)tist  Chnrch,  Boston. 
Ily<le  I'arii  Baptist  Ciiureh. 
Tienioiit  Temple  tlinn-h,  Boston. 


I  have  appended  the  titles  «.<;(•,  of  these  brethren,  as  some  of  the  memhors  of  tlic 
Ass(H'iatioii,  may  not  Ik-  acfpiainted  with  tiieni. 

The  followiiii;  are  extracts  from  lettei^  reeeived  from  the  brethren  vho  were  in- 
vited to  attend  the  conference,  l>nt  wre  nnahle  to  lie  present : — 

"  After  haviiifr  soniiht  all  the  liu'lit  I  eoiild  oUtain,  I  should  deem  it  my  duty  to 
assume  tlie  res])onsiliility  of  welcominj.'  Dr.  I'rynr  to  cliureh  fellowshij)  as  far  as  I 
had  an  opjiortunity  of  expressiiifr  it.  P'irst  of  ail  1  have  the  hijrhest  dejjree  of 
coiitideiice  in  the  christian  «'haracter  of  Dr.  I'ryor.  There  is  no  livinji  ininister, 
I  lielieve,  with  whom  I  have  In-en  lonjrer  »>r  Ix'tter  acipiainted;  «nd  there  is  no  liv- 
iiifi  man  whom  I  more  profoundly  trust,  as  a  man  of  veracity,  honor,  fidelity  to 
his  own  convictions,  and  love  to  the  name  and  cause  of  Jesus.  Then,  with  this 
view  of  his  character,  the  eircumstances  of  his  jiosition  yive  him  a  claim  ujton 
those  who  trust  him,  to  sustain  him  apiinst  thost;  who  would  injure  him.  Amonj;- 
Episcopalians  and  Presbyteriai^,  a  mnn  who  is  unjustly  excluded  from  a  ehureli 
may  apjieal  to  a  (^onrt  liij^her  than  a  eliureh  :  with  us,  the  only  resort  is  to  an- 
other Chureh  or  Council,  or  both.  The  Council  of  Ministers  and  others  who 
reviewed  the  doinj^s  of  the  Church  in  Halifax,  n-presented  the  highest  standard  of 
inttilligence  and  piety  in  the  denomination  in  Nova  Scotia.  They  were  a  Presby- 
tery of  trusted  men ;  and  their  decision  in  his  favor,  is  more  than  a  counterpoise 
of  the  Cliureh  ajjainst  him.  A  church,  you  know,  is  not  infallible.  The  apostle 
John  in  his  3d  epistle,  bewails  the  state  of  one  church,  swayed  by  one  mnn,  who 
cast  the  brethren  out  of  the  chureli,  because  they  received  tliose  whom  the  ajiostle 
approved.  If,  in  the  first  century,  a  church  would  thus  fall  nnder  malign  influ- 
ence, it  may  l>e  so  in  the  19th  century.  John  promised  to  remember  Diotrephes, 
we  may  imitate  tiie  Apo«tle's  example. 

*  Yours  faithfullv, 

W.  ITaoue. 

Dr.  H.if^ne  is  pastor  of  the  Shawmut  Avenue  Church,  Boston, 

"I  deeply  reprtt,  that  the  state  of  my  health  will  not  jiermit  me  to  1>e  present 
at  the  conference  conceminn:  the  case  of  Dr.  Pryor,  to  which  you  invite  me.  It 
would  afford  nie  the  highest  pleasure  to  be  jiresent  and  aid  in  doinp  justice  to  an 
honored  and  time-ap]iroved  servant  of  God,  wiiom  from  my  knowledjic  of  the 
case,  I  rcf^ard  as  ;;reatly  wronged.  Sincerely  and  confidently  do  I  Iiojk',  that  yon 
may  be  divinely  diret'ted  in  restorinj>-  to  his  place  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  him, 
whose  ministry  God  has  so  larfiely  blessed  in  the  past.  Please  frive  my  warmest; 
love  to  Dr.  Pryor,  anil  assure  him  that  nothin};  but  physical  inability  prevents  my 
lieiiifr  present. 

.Tudpe  Johnston's  ,^bility  to  weinh  and  ajiprcciate  evidence,  and  his  intejrrity  in 
statinjr  the  truth,  and  rcnderiufr  justice  in  all  cases,  needs  no  individual  testimony. 


Yours  in  Christian  esteem, 


'i 


W.  F.  STunnERT. 


Brother  Stubbert  is  Pa'-'tor  of  the  Bajitist  Church  of  AVatertown. 


31 


^ 


'{' 


I  ap^nd  also  some  extracts  of  a  letter  from  Dr.  Murdoek,  one  of  the 
Hocretarics  of  the  Foreign  Missioiiarv  Uiiiuii  who  was  obliged  to  be  absent  in  order 
to  attend  an  extra  meetin^r  of  the  Board,  at  New  York. 

"  I  would  not  assume  for  myself,  any  oompetoncy  either  on  the  ground  of  wis- 
dom, or  authority  to  review  the  action  of  the  Church  in  Halifax,  but  I  cannot 
refrain  from  the  observation,  that  their  candor  and  prudence  would  have  more 
Approved  themselves  to  good  men  everywhere,  had  they  submitted  the  very  grave 
questions  they  had  in  hand,  questions  affecting  the  official  standing,  as  well  as  the 
personal  character  of  a  public  man,  and  an  accredited  minister  of  the  Gospel,  to 
the  judgment  of  an  impartial  council,  as  one  of  the  very  earliest  steps  in  the  set- 
tlement of  the  case.  I  can  conceive  of  no  circumstances,  apart  from  the  most 
positive  and  irrefragable  proof  or  an  open  confession  of  guilt,  which  could  be  held 
as  justifying  a  church  in  acting  in  the  triple  character  of  accuser,  judge  and  exe- 
cutioner, in  a  case  so  important  in  its  bearings  on  personal  character  and  the 
public  interests  of  our  blessed  religion. 

But  whatever  may  be  advanced  in  favor  of  the  abstract  right  to  proceed,  un- 
aided by  any  external  advice  to  the  extreme  measure  of  excomnmnication,  or 
whatever  may  he  said  respecting  the  rectitude  of  their  motives,  in  this  part  of  the 
transaction,  it  is  clear  that  their  subsequent  course  has  placed  them  in  the  wrong, 
and  made  them  amenable  to  the  bar  of  public  opinion.  If  I  am  correct  in  the 
impression  I  have  received  of  the  proceedings  in  the  case,  after  Dr.  Pryor's  exclu- 
sion from  the  church,  he  and  his  friends  arraigning  the  justice  of  their  action  and 
they  defending  it,  it  was  mutually  agreed  between  the  parties  to  submit  the  ques- 
tions at  issue  between  them,  to  the  judgment  of  a  council  composed  of  six  persons 
to  be  selected  by  the  church,  and  six  to  be  selected  b^  Dr.  P.  All  this  at  least 
was  reasonable,  and  christian,  strktlif  in  accordance  with  the  long  and  clearly  ettaif 
linked  usage  of  our  churches.  It  seemed  to  intimate  a  willingness  on  the  part  of  the 
church  to  have  the  case  adjudged  by  men  of  candor  and  intelligence ;  men,  who 
might  be  supposed  to  be  as  zealous  for  truth,  and  the  purity  of  the  church,  as 
themselves  and  who  would  come  to  the  investigation  of  tne  case  f^  from  previous 
committals,  from  local  prejudices,  and  the  heat  of  party  passion.  Had  this  coun- 
cil pronounced  Dr.  P.  guilty  and  approved  the  previous  hnding  of  the  church,  he 
would  have  been  doomed  to  shame  forever  and  been  hopelessljir  branded  as  a 
"man  forbid."  He  entered  into  the  stipulations  for  this  council  with  this  prospect 
fully  before  him.  It  speaks  much  for  his  confidence  in  the  justice  of  his  cause,  that 
he  was  willing  to  face  such  an  ordeal.  The  church  on  the  other  hand,  reopened 
the  case  and  submitted  the  revision  of  their  action  to  the  council,  with  no  nsk  to 
the  reputation  of  any  one  of  its  members,  and  with  nothing  to  dread  but  the  pos- 
sible judgment  of  their  brethren,  that  they  had  committed  an  error  in  reference  to 
the  form  or  the  precipitancy  of  their  action.  In  view  of  the  vastly  unequal  risks 
respectively  by  the  parties  to  the  issue,  we  cannot  say  much  in  favor  of  the  mag- 
nanimity of  the  stronger  party  in  consenting  to  submit  it  to  such  an  arbitrament. 
It  was  an  act  of  the  barest  justice,  accorded  to  an  accused  and  suffering  brother 
and  having  submitted  the  question  to  the  council,  the  church  had  no  further  re- 
iiponsibility  in  the  matter  beyond  the  obvious  right  and  duty  of  faithfully  and 
candidly  presenting  their  side  of  it  to  the  arbitrators  thus  mutually  agreed  upon. 

It  was  the  right  of  the  council  to  decide  what  testimony  was  relevant  and  what 
irrelevant  and  bow  much  or  how  little  time  they  would  give  to  the  hearing  of  the 
case;  it  was  competent  for  the  Court,  to  make  its  own  rules  and  to  be  governed 
by  its  own  sense  of  the  proprieties  of  the  case.  And  sc  when  it  had  finished  the 
liearing  and  closed  its  deliberations  and  made  up  and  declared  its  verdict,  it  was 
the  simple  and  piuin  duty  of  the  church  to  have  accepted  that  verdict  as  final,  and 
to  have  rescinded  their  vote  of  exclusion.  It  cannot  avail  the  church  in  refusing 
to  accept  the  result  of  tiie  council,  to  set  up  a  plea  that  a  body  constituted  as  this 
was  has  no  scriptural  investiture  of  cclesiastical  authority.  The  authority  of  this 
council  is  grounded  on  tiie  mutual  agreement  and  stipulations  of  the  parties  to  it. 
Long  as  christian  men  are  considered  as  lx)und  by  their  express  covenants,  a 
council  constituted  as  this  was,  must  be  regarded  as  valid  and  its  decisions  are 
morally  binding  on  the  parties,  by  whose  will  or  consent  it  was  set  up  to  hear  and 
try  the  issue  submitted  to  it. 


32 


1  have  fiinw  into  the  statonu'iit  iif  the  oasc,  ns  it  is  now  iK'forc  you,  my  dcuir 
l)rotla'r,  at  sudi  li-nytli  anil  iinrticniaiity  Itocansv  tlii'  action  whicli  Dr.  Pryor 
seeks  at  yonr  hands  is  virtually  a  trial  and  condrnination  of  the  Halifax  Church. 
I  think  that  the  action  of  the  Onincil  at  Halifax  conijMJScd  as  it  was  of  j^ooil  men 
ami  true, — men  who  were  known  to  he  loyal  to  Christ, —  men,  moreover,  wlu>  may 
Ik.'  assumed  to  have  acted  under  every  im-entive  which  can  nnike  christians  zealous 
for  the  purity  of  the  church,  and  faithful  to  an  accused  hrother,  ilms  virtnnlhi  nnd 
imifht  nctnalhj  to  conclude  this  case.  That  church  ou^rht  to  have  said  at  once,  on 
rcceivintr  the  ilceision  of  tlu^  (Council,  "your  decision  is  not  in  accordain-e  with  the 
view  we  have  taken  of  the  case,  hut  we  are  lialile  to  he  ntistaken  and  j)o.ssilily  wc 
have  heen  hiinded  hy  |)assi(>ns  en;;endcrcd  in  it»  disi'ussion.  Vim  have  come  to  it 
with  fresh  eyes  and  unprejudiced  minds  and  are  moiv  likely  therefore  to  have 
reached  a  decision  at  once  Just  ami  merciful  and  therefore  we  will  accept  and  act 
upon  it,  and  leave  the  issue  with  CJirist  our  Master,"  Instead  of  this,  they  have  in 
effect  said  to  the  Council,  "Yonr  verdict  is  at  variance  with  the  decision  which  wc 
have  nnide  in  the  case,  and  we  therefore  reject  it."  (i) 

Under  these  cireumstaiu'cs  Dr.  Pryor  comes  to  your  church,  with  the  record  of 
the  Council  in  his  hand,  asks  you  to  receive  him  to  your  fellowshi]i.  I  think  it 
not  onlji  ijour  rlijht,  hut  i/our  dntif  to  respect  that  record,  and  especially,  the  Jindimj  of 
the  Council.  If  yon  are  satisfied  that  he  is  an  innocent  man.  mid  a  christian,  it  is 
yonr  simj)le  duty  without  re<::ardin;^  the  maimer  in  which  su -h  a  course  nuiy  Iks 
re«'eived,  to  o|)en  your  doors  to  him  an<l  jiive  him  shelter  in  me  name  of  Christ 
whose  apostle  has  comnnmdcd  you  to  he  "|)artakers  in  I.'a  afflictions  of  the 
;;ospel."  As  yon  did  me  the  honor  to  invite  me  to  Ik;  of  \ou»  Council,  I  thought 
you  were  entitled  to  such  ri;;ht  as,  with  my  impei'fcct  knonledy;e  of  the  case,  I 
luij^ht  he  ahle  to  contrihnte.  Besides  I  could  not  deny  myself  the  privilc<;e  of 
secoudin;:  the  recpu'st  of  a  nuin  whom  I  have  known  s(j  Ion;;  and  respected  so 
hin'lily  as  Dr.  Pryor,  and  whom  i  could  not  rcf!;ard  as  {juilty  of  the  charj^es  nuule 
ajijainst  him,  except  on  proof  the  most  positive  and  trustworthy." 

The  Committee  reported  to  the  Church  :  — 

"  In  view  therefore  of  the  foregoing  facts,  of  the  recommendation  of  said  con- 
ference, and  especially- from  the  ent're  con  '"tion  of  your  Committee,  that  Dr. 
Pryor  stands  as  a  disciple  of  Christ  and  a  Christian  minister,  untarnished  in  heart 
and  act,  your  Committee  recommend  that  his  application  for  momhership  in  this 
Church  be  granted."  Signed  by  the  Pastor,  the  iJeacons,  and  i..e  other  members 
of  the  Standing  Committee. 

"  Old  Cambridge  Baptist  Church, 
In  Church  Meeting,  Jan.  31st  1868. 

The  application  of  Dr.  Pryor  for  membership,  in  this  Church,  and  the  report  of 
the  Standing  Committee  thereon  having  been  read,  and  remarks  having  been 
made  by  several  brethren,  advocating  the  admission  of  Dr.  Pryor, 

It  was  moved,  and  the  motion  was  adopted  with  entire  unanimity  and  great  cor- 
diality, "  That  the  report  of  the  Standing  Committee  he  accepted,  and  that  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Pryor,  be  admitted  as  a  member  of  this  church." 

Said  several  of  the  members  of  the  church  to  me,  "  I  wish  you  had  been  present ; 
it  was  a  very  large  meeting,  and  it  would  have  done  your  heart  good  to  have 
heard  the  warm  and  heartfelt  expressions  of  our  undiminished  confidence  and 
affection  for  you. 

Yours,  &c., 

J.  Pryor. 


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